Morning
by Interest Me
Summary: Breaking Dawn ended with Renesmee as a young child.  Five years later, she has reached near physical and mental maturity. Jacob struggles with the decision to transform from protective older brother to something else. Renesmee doesn't make it easy.
1. Chapter 1

**Morning**

**The story of Jacob and Renesmee.**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

**Chapter One: My Five-Year-Old Teenager**

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><p><strong>This story is based on the <em>Twilight <em>novels and characters by Stephanie Meyer. All copyright belongs to her, and this story is only an expression of the appreciation I have for the world she created.**

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><p>"I want to go to school," announced my five-year-old-teenage daughter, Renesmee. Normal vocabulary often failed me when trying to express my life now. Words once provided a refuge for me, allowing me to lose myself in the classics such as <em>Wuthering Heights<em> and _Romeo and Juliet_. But those stories were limited to the human experience. I needed an entirely new language to frame my everyday experience now.

"No, Renesmee, you know that's not possible," I answered.

Renesmee stepped forward and laid her palm on my cheek. Visions of high school kidnapped my thoughts. Adolescents laughed and gossiped and danced. It looked more like a high school shown on a TV reality show than the reality of Forks High. I shook my head, and the vision morphed into Edward and I walking the halls of this made up Hollywood school.

This is how Renesmee argued. She could project her thoughts into the minds of those she touched. My daughter had found a way to break the limited language barrier. Next I was watching her Aunt Alice, Uncle Jasper, Uncle Emmet and Aunt Rosalie walking the same mythical halls. I understood her argument. We had all attended high school; why not her? Edward also understood the argument because his talent allowed him to read Renesmee's mind even if he couldn't read mine. His breath caught sharply.

"Renesmee, you are too young for high school," he said.

"Look at me Dad," she countered, "physically I am old enough. Mentally too. And you were one hundred and nine and still attending high school. You can't use chronological age as an argument against me going to school."

My daughter had inherited her debating skills from my husband. I waited for his answer that would trump her reasoning and end this discussion, but it didn't come. I looked into his golden eyes and sensed defeat there. Well I wasn't going down without a fight.

"No Renesmee. It's much more dangerous for you," I said.

"Dangerous? Oh come on Mom, I will be the most dangerous thing there. I am half human. I want human experiences!"

I knew that she had hit Edward in a weak spot with this comment. He had been somewhat obsessed with my own human experiences, unwilling to change me into a vampire until I had experienced as many as possible. Unfortunately, one of those human experiences was Prom. Yet my last human experience had been to give birth to the woman before me. It had nearly killed me, and my life was only saved because Edward had changed me into a vampire. That was five years ago, and after we stood against the Volturi, life had pretty much been a fairytale. Until now. I was not ready to let my sweet little Nessie go.

"Grandpa, tell them," Renesmee appealed to Carlisle who was sitting in the living room with us.

He looked up from his book and pushed his glasses up his nose. Of course, he didn't need the glasses, but we had stayed in Forks much longer than anyone had expected, and his youthful appearance was starting to draw comments at the hospital where he worked as a doctor. The glasses were a prop along with the grey temple hair that Alice applied every four weeks from a bottle. Still, the glasses and grey hair stood in sharp contrast to his youthful, perfectly unlined face. Edward said it didn't matter. Humans see what they want to see.

Before Carlisle could answer, Jacob came through the door. He picked Renesmee up in a bear hug and tousled her hair as he had done since she was a toddler, just over four years ago. Jacob had imprinted on Renesmee moments after she was born, and he completely belonged to her now. Although I considered ripping his throat out when it first happened, I could not deny that Jacob would never let any harm come to her. Edward can read his thoughts, and this extra layer of understanding had made me more comfortable. Jacob was a third parent now.

"Jacob!" Renesmee squealed.

"Nessie, why the serious faces?" he asked just becoming aware of the mood in the room.

"I want to go to school," she announced to him as she had to me. I stiffened. Jacob always defaulted to giving my daughter her way, but if he sided with us, he would be a powerful ally. He laughed.

"School? Nessie you already speak seven languages, have read all of your grandfather's medical books, and anonymously sent an economic plan to the president that he actually implemented. Besides, school sucks."

"I don't want to go to learn. I want to go for the human experience," she said and her large brown eyes flicked to meet her father's for a split second. The child was dangerous.

"Aw Nessie, what am I going to do all day while you're in school? Wouldn't you rather do fun things?"

"School is fun!" she said and touched his cheek. I was pretty sure she was flashing images of television high school into Jacob's mind too.

Jacob looked at me and Edward, helpless. I knew we couldn't show any weakness though so I said, "Renesmee, how will we explain how we suddenly have an adolescent daughter that needs to attend school?"

"Oh Mom. You and Dad got custody of me when Dad's sister died in a car accident," she rolled her eyes, "Jenks will take care of the rest."

I cursed her perfect recall. This was the story Jacob had told Charlie, my father, to explain Renesmee and her full term birth after my month long pregnancy. Jason Jenks was the attorney we used to fabricate needed documentation.

"Come on Nessie, let's talk about this at the bowling alley," Jacob urged.

Renesmee and Jacob's love of bowling baffled us at first. They both were capable of bowling a perfect 300 every time. But they had their own version of the game. Each put rules on slips of paper, challenging the other to achieve nearly acrobatic feats. Their need to remain inconspicuous just added another dimension to their challenges. Renesmee had garnered some unwanted attention when she picked up a seven-ten split by rolling the ball backwards through her legs. Now they always choose a different alley and travel some distance each time.

Renesmee flew out the door, her shiny auburn waves swishing as she went. Jacob turned toward me, and I flashed him my most vampiric look to warn him against encouraging her. He nodded his head with understanding and agreement


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Coming-of-Age Crap**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

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><p><strong>Stephenie Meyer owns all copyright on original characters and original plot. Based on the <strong>_**Twilight**_** series.**

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><p>Jacob watched Renesmee stomp to the car. She could really be bratty when she wanted to be. He stopped that thought because it struck him as nearly blasphemous. She yanked open the car door, plopped inside, and slammed the door shut. The car shook in protest. Well at least she hadn't ripped the door off its hinges. Maybe she wasn't all that mad. He slid into the driver's seat.<p>

Renesmee crossed her arms and pouted.

"Mom doesn't want me to grow up! I can't stay under her wing forever."

"I know you feel grown up, Nessie, but give your mom a break. It's only been five years."

"That's no excuse. Five years; a hundred and five years, it's all the same to her. Dad didn't say no. He's always been the reasonable one."

"I think maybe he was just speechless as rare as that is," Jacob chuckled because he knew Edward was still listening to them; reading their minds. They would have to get beyond the three mile mark to have any real privacy. Jacob shifted the car into drive.

"Buckle up," he said.

"Oh puleeze. The car is more fragile than I am."

"Yeah, yeah, but you know how your parents like their props."

She defiantly ignored the request. He stepped on the brakes and waited. The car idled motionless for a full minute. She grabbed the belt, threatening to pull it off its bolts, and clicked it.

"You know, Nessie, I adore you, but your vampire side can really get irritating," he said.

She bared her teeth and hardened her eyes in classic vampire mode. He countered with a wolfy growl. She finally smiled, and Jacob's heart warmed.

"Jakey, I just wanna go to school," she whined. Jacob fought the impulse to give in.

"Nessie, you got the perfect life 'cuz you don't have to go to school. Any kid would love to be in your shoes."

"I'm not a kid."

"Sure, sure."

"Normal kids don't want to go to school because they get to go to school. They have the luxury of complaining against something they take for granted. They haven't been deprived like I have."

A single tear escaped her eye and slid downward where it puddled in the corner of her mouth. Jacob was pretty sure that her flair for the dramatic came from Edward. Bella never complained. He noticed that she had slipped back into grouping herself with the "kids".

"Nessie, I know it sucks. I went from sixteen to twenty-five in just a few weeks, but I was still being marked absent from school. We're different. It's not fair. It's just the way it is. It's not all bad either," he said.

She looked out the window and Jacob welcomed the silence. The best debater rarely won an argument with Renesmee, and his DNA practically forbade it. Since imprinting on her, his every desire was to make her happy at all costs, in other words, to give her whatever she asked for. He hadn't signed on for all of the female coming-of-age crap. In reality he hadn't signed on for any of the other crap that had been handed to him, but he wouldn't trade it for anything. What did she want; to go to school or to grow up? It didn't matter. He couldn't give her either. Not yet. Not now. Why now? Crap. He turned on the radio and they rode the rest of the way in silence.

Jacob steered his car into the bowling alley parking lot. The pale blue and white of the neon sign bathed the car's interior with anemic color. Renesmee turned to face him. Her skin was nearly as white as her parents', but a peach glow painted human life on her cheeks. Bella allowed her to wear a small amount of makeup, but her skin was flawless. He saw that she wore a soft apricot lipstick and no other makeup. She gazed back at him with intelligent brown eyes. He realized in horror that without anyone's permission, she had indeed grown up.

"What are you looking at Jacob?"

"Nothing."

"Figures," she said, and instead of unbuckling her seat belt, she simply ripped the bands apart as though they were nothing more than tissue paper.

_Edward is going to pay for that_, thought Jacob. Renesmee was halfway across the dark parking lot before he got out of the car. Why was she so damn mad at him? He remembered Bella's stunned expression when he told her that his friend Quil had imprinted on two-year-old Claire. He had explained to her that imprinting wasn't romantic but that Quil would be anything Claire needed; from big brother to best friend to . . . he stopped his thoughts. And dammit, he would be whatever Renesmee needed if he just knew what the hell that was. He followed her inside.

Jacob scanned the alley but didn't see her. He caught her scent and followed it. It led past the shoe counter, the vending machines and the racks of bowling balls. It turned into a darkened doorway. The bar! There she sat with a drink in front of her. Music thundered from the jukebox. She laughed at something the bartender said. He felt his temper shake the air around him and took a deep breath. He stormed over to where she was sitting.

"What are you doing here?"

She glanced at him as though she just now noticed him. He knew this wasn't true. Renesmee could pick up his scent and hear his foot patterns from long distances, even under the smells of bowling shoes and the boom of balls smacking pins.

"Oh hi, Jakie. I'm having a drink," she giggled.

"What's in that glass," he asked, but he could smell the alcohol.

"It's a rum and coke minus the lime. I don't know what humans find appealing about lime."

He grabbed her arm and tried to tug her off the stool.

"I'll scream," she warned.

"Ma'am is there a problem here?" the bartender asked. How dare he act like her protector? Jacob was her protector. Jacob shot warnings into Renesmee's eyes.

"No problem, Johnny Baby." Baby!

"This is my adopted brother. He came from a disadvantaged home and isn't very good socially," she said and dazzled him with her smile.

Jacob took the stool next to her.

"Look little girl," Jacob started.

"I'm not a little girl," Renesmee interrupted. Then she popped a cigarette in her mouth and Johnny Baby appeared with a lighter.

"Get that out of your mouth!"

"No," she said and blew smoke in his direction. She sipped her drink.

"Renesmee, Carly, Cullen. . ."

"Excuse me," she said and hopped off the stool and headed to the ladies room.

Jacob grabbed her abandoned cigarette and crushed it in his hand; ember and all. He scowled at Johnny Baby who looked quickly away and scurried to the opposite end of the bar to fill an order. The jukebox went silent for a moment, and the happy beat of an old song filled the smoky air. Jacob listened to a childlike voice sing, _"girls just want to have fu-un" _as he watched the restroom door. She was taking too long. Jacob contemplated going in after her. He grabbed her drink and spilled it under the bar. He turned back to watch the door. A deep laugh interrupted his thoughts, and he looked for its source. A tall man in his mid-twenties leaned on the jukebox flirting with a woman picking out songs. She wore a tight red sweater, and even from behind he could see that it fit every curve. Just when he decided to personally drag Renesmee out of the restroom, the woman by the jukebox turned around.

Renesmee! She beamed up at the man and tucked her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and pushed her, her . . . he couldn't even frame the word and found a substitute . . . her chest upwards. The man bent forward, and in an instant, Jacob flashed between the two of them. The man's stunned face pulled away from Jacob's glare. A soft growl rumbled through Jacob's lips.

"Whoa, hey buddy, I'm not looking for trouble. The lady talked to me first," the man said with his hands raised defensively.

"And I'm talking to you last!" Jacob growled.

The man walked back to his table and leaned his head toward his friends while pointing at Jacob.

"Aw Jakie, I was just having fun,"

"Get in the car."

The song changed, and Whitney Houston breathlessly crooned, "_I'm not the foolish girl you used to know…"_ Great as if his life didn't already suck enough, it now had a soundtrack.

"But Jacob."

"Get in the car now or I'm calling your parents and they will bring Emmet and your entire family to carry you home. Get in the car!"

She stomped her foot but obeyed his order. Jacob followed her to the car. He slammed his door and frowned at Renesmee. He saw that her apricot lips were now painted red. He could look at her no more. They shot through the night at 100 miles per hour without seatbelts.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Game Changer**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

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><p><strong>Original plot and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer and the <em>Twilight<em> universe she built**

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><p>I stood frozen at the window watching as my daughter and best friend pulled away. I watched red tail lights recede into blackness. I listened as the hum of the car's engine faded to a whisper and then dissolved into silence. Edward pressed against my back and wrapped his arms around me.<p>

"What are you thinking, Love?" he whispered.

I didn't respond. Stress petrified my body into a stone statue. I didn't break my posture even when Edward squeezed my arms and gently shook them.

"Bella please, what are you thinking?"

I knew it caused him great anxiety to be blocked from my thoughts, and so I thawed and turned to him. Words failed me, which was happening more and more, so I wrapped my arms around him and forced the protective shield that blocked him from my thoughts away from my body. I let him see the pain, heartache and uncertainly I felt. He arms held me tighter.

"Oh, Bellalove," he said, merging my name and the term of endearment into one word.

Esme laid a hand on my shoulder. She was the eternal mother, and Edward believed that her human ability to love deeply had been intensified when she was changed into a vampire. I couldn't argue with that.

"Bella, dear, Renesmee is growing up. That's a wonderful thing," she said.

"It doesn't feel wonderful," I said.

"Do you know what I would have given to see my weak little boy grow up?" she asked.

I knew exactly what she would have given. When Esme's infant son died over ninety years ago, grief had driven her to jump off a cliff. She was left for dead in a morgue, but Carlisle heard her weakly beating heart and changed her before she died.

"But it's happening so fast. Nahuel didn't reach full maturity until he was seven. Renesmee will get there in less than a year." I said.

Nahuel was the half vampire, half human boy that Alice found in Brazil. Before we met him, we worried that Renesmee's life would be cut short. She had been growing at such an accelerated pace that we didn't know if she would reach old age by the time she was fifteen. Nahuel had matured fully by seven-years-old, but one hundred and fifty years later, he was still young and healthy.

"I've been thinking about that," Carlisle said. "I don't think it's anything to be concerned about. Girls mature faster than boys, and Nahuel said his two sisters were also doing well."

"I want her to stay here where she is safe," I said.

"Bella, I nearly lost you when I tried to keep you safe against your will," Edward said, "and Renesmee is so much like you. If we hold her back, the next thing she will be cliff diving."

Edward was referring to the time he left me in order to keep me safe. In his absence I had jumped off a cliff on the Quileute reservation and nearly drowned.

"Edward she's been cliff diving for three years now," I said.

"I was speaking metaphorically, Love. Her version of cliff diving is to steal a space shuttle and explore the cosmos."

"She outgrew that," I insisted.

"Only because we found her plans in time," he said.

Carlisle chuckled and shook his head.

"They were good plans. I think it would have worked," Carlisle said.

"But Forks High School?" I moaned.

"As adolescent rebellions go, it's quite tame. When Edward went through it," Carlisle stopped because Edward and I both flinched.

"Well," Carlisle continued, "High School is a relief by comparison."

Edward had rebelled against Carlisle and Esme a few years after he was changed. He resisted the "vegetarian" diet that Carlisle insisted he follow. Vegetarian in vampire language means drinking the blood of animals instead of humans. So Edward left Carlisle and hunted humans but only the monsters. He reasoned that because he could read minds, he could choose only prey that was set on killing other humans. It still took its toll though, and Edward returned to Carlisle and to the vegetarian diet.

"We could leave Forks," I said.

"But what about Jacob, dear? It would kill him," Esmee said.

"I'm sure Jacob would just follow us," Edward said sardonically.

"Think about Charlie then," Esmee said.

Charlie was a trump card. I never could bear to hurt him even when I should have. I was supposed to fake my death and leave him forever when I changed into a vampire in order to keep him safe. He would have faced the wrath of the Voluturi if they thought he knew about our world. Yet because he agreed to ask no questions, we stayed. Renesmee was the center of his world too.

Three pairs of expectant eyes now fixed on me. I realized that my decision carried more weight than all of theirs combined. Edward would do as I wished. If my heartbeat were anything more than a cloudy memory, it would have pounded a hole through my chest. I looked at Edward, but his eyes suddenly lost focus. I heard Jacob's car approaching. Why were they home so early?

"What is she wearing?" Edward shouted.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I asked, fearing that my feeling of impending doom had become a reality.

"Jacob, don't you dare!" Edward hissed and shot through the door. I was a half a step behind him.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Jacob nearly whooped when the Cullen house came into view. Edward was probably already butting into his thoughts so he looked over at Renesmee to give Edward a good view of his daughter's sweater. Jacob's car roared into the driveway. He slammed on the brakes, cutting the air with a screech and staining the pavement black with skid marks. He ran the night's horrors through his mind to prepare Edward for the tsunami that was heading his way. He jumped out of the car, but Renesmee just sat there. He walked over to her door and opened it.

"Get out of the car Nessie."

She shook her head. Tears glistened in her eyes and Jacob's heart panicked. He fought hard to hang onto his anger, but the strength of his imprinting overcame his will and yanked his emotions toward compassion. Damn, stupid, wolfy rules.

"Nessie, it's not that bad. We'll work it out with your parents." What a pansy he'd become.

But it was bad. She shoved the door backward on its hinges. Jacob groaned along with the metal. He bent the door back into place, but the stupid thing wouldn't line up.

"Would you stop breaking my car, Nessie? I don't have a garage full of them like you."

"I'm sure my father will have it fixed."

"Damn right he will."

"Jacob, I'm not a child."

"Well you're sure acting like one." God, he sounded like his father.

With lightning speed, her arms were around his neck and he saw that she had parted her lips and was aiming them at his mouth. He covered her face and the top of her head with his palm, and the kiss landed on the heel of his hand.

"Knock it off Renesmee, I mean it."

She pulled her fist back and smashed it into his jaw. Jacob heard a crack and grabbed his face. He remembered years ago when he had kissed Bella. She too had punched him in the jaw and broke her hand. He hadn't felt anything. Her daughter's punch nearly knocked him silly . He had to work his jaw back into line. Just as he felt it beginning to heal, a force threw him up into the air and halfway across the yard. Edward had arrived.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:More Damn Changes**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

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><p><strong>Original plot and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.<strong>

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><p><em>Just as he felt it beginning to heal, a force threw him up into the air and halfway across the yard. Edward had arrived.<em>

Under the force of Edward's push, Jacob flew through the air. He saw Renesmee and Bella looking up at him in horror. Okay maybe that wasn't horror because when he reached the apex of his climb, Renesmee ran into the house, and Bella followed. _Gee, don't let me keep you from something really important_, he thought. His arms and legs flailed as he began his descent. He definitely travelled faster on his way down than he had on the way up. He braced for a crash landing.

His touchdown gouged out a crater. Earth sprayed around him, on him, in his mouth, eyes and nose. The velocity continued to push him backward for another ten feet, carving a channel in the wake of his path and forming a mountain of soil that rolled with him and grew higher until it reached his neck. Edward was already sitting next to him when he stopped and leaned back on his newly formed hill.

"Sorry Jacob," Edward said.

Jacob reached behind himself and dug out a stick that was poking him in the kidney. He brushed dirt out of his hair and spit mud from his mouth. He massaged his face.

"Sometimes you just need to hit something," Jacob said.

"Are you hurt?"

"Don't flatter yourself," he continued rubbing his face, "your daughter hits five times harder than you do."

"Carlisle could examine your jaw for you," Edward offered.

"It'll be healed before he has a chance," Jacob said.

The two sat in silence. Years ago Jacob would have welcomed Edward's hit as permission to fight. Bella always came between them physically, and neither would chance hurting her. But Renesmee's hold on Jacob was so much more profound that he was unable to hit the father of the girl he adored. He truly had become an obedient, flower picking, damn pansy boy. Edward read his thoughts and chuckled, shaking his head.

"She's changed us all," Edward said.

"So what do we do now?" Jacob asked.

"In your wolf legends, does the wolf always end up married to the object of his imprinting?" Edward asked.

"Always."

"Well that's not going to happen right now."

"Agreed."

"How is Quil handling it?"

"He's handling it fine. Claire is eight-years-old now but a human eight. Quil is learning jump rope songs and sitting in as a live Barbie doll. Claire is growing up but slow enough that Quil can adjust to her changes."

"The legends really don't help when it comes to a shape shifter and a half vampire, half human female, I suppose," Edward said.

"Nope. There's no rulebook."

They sat silently another twenty seconds. Edward stared into space and Jacob leaned back on his recently constructed mound and stared up at the night sky.

"I suppose we can't avoid this any longer," Edward said.

"Nope."

The two stood as one and walked at near human speed to the house.

Jacob blinked in the bright lights of the Cullen house. He wondered why they even bothered turning them on since their night vision was as clear as in daylight. But they also had beds in all the bedrooms and didn't sleep. Couches and chairs when they never really needed to sit. Of course Renesmee needed the furniture, but they were still mostly props. Renesmee stood with her back to Bella.

"Edward, she won't tell me what happened," Bella said.

"Renesmee, tell you mother what happened," Edward commanded.

The glass doors slid open, and Alice dance through them with Jasper in tow.

"Oh Renesmee, what a cute sweater," Alice said.

Edward hissed.

"But completely inappropriate," Alice covered.

"Renesmee," Edward demanded again. Jacob wondered what Edward would do if Renesmee simply refused. Exactly how do you discipline a child that can simply swipe a ship and travel the world?

"I . . ." Renesmee started and went silent.

"Now," Edward said, and he looked like a vampire.

Renesmee turned slowly avoiding Jacob's eyes and laid her palm on her mother's neck. A blush crept up her neck to her ears and continued its path up her cheeks where it deepened and pulled tears from her eyes. Jacob clenched his fists. He fought his urge to protect her, but every molecule in his body screamed at him to defend Renesmee from the slightest discomfort. They all watched as Renesmee played the night's events for Bella. Bella's face turned to stone. Edward raised an eyebrow and Jacob wondered if he was responding to the cigarette, the drink, the leering man at the jukebox or . . . the attempted kiss. No it wasn't the kiss. Jacob knew this because a few seconds later Bella caught his eye and let out a soft growl. That would be the kiss.

Renesmee removed her hand and stood with her head down; the blush still burning on her face. Jacob had never seen her blush. She was always proud of her exploits and never felt shame. Of course she had never purposely rebelled before either. Her usual shenanigans were carried out in full innocence and with the exuberance of a half vampire, half human. At least that's what Jacob thought anyway. A fully human child was incapable of even thinking up some of the predicaments Renesmee has found herself in. He was glad she had outgrown her fixation with outer space.

"Go to the cottage," Bella said.

Renesmee didn't question but ran from the house. Jacob suddenly felt comforted. Jasper was looking toward Renesmee and Jacob figured that emotion was Jasper's way of soothing her. Bella quickly summarized Renesmee's confession for Carlisle, Alice, Jasper and Esme. None of them looked at Jacob, and he felt like the villain.

"So school then?" asked Edward.

"I don't see that we have any other option," Carlisle agreed.

Bella stood with a stony face. When she was human, Jacob could read her every thought on her face. Now her vampire face held as much expression as a stone mountain.

"Bella, it may give her the outlet she needs," Esme said.

"Okay," Bella whispered.

"Oh there is so much to do," Alice trilled.

"She's going to need a back-to-school wardrobe, some book bags, oh, and purses! Lots and lots of purses with shoes to match."

Alice zipped to her room, still listing all the things she needed to buy. Great, life as they knew it was about to end, Jacob was no longer the center of Renesmee's world, the future was unknowable even to Alice who couldn't see Renesmee's future, but everyone would be well-dressed. Priorities.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Human**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

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><p>Original plot and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.<p>

** There is a direct quote from _Breaking Dawn_, by Stephanie Meyer. Page 77.**

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><p>I caught sight of my porcelain face in the mirror, resting in the halo of a dark cloud. Alice was teasing my hair into a fluffy mass. I had to get out of here.<p>

"Hold still Bella," Alice commanded, "We have to rough it up some."

"Alice, you're never going to be able to make me look human again. Just let me wear some sunglasses."

"It's a dreary Forks day. Sunglasses will be conspicuous."

But I knew that my predicament had less to do with the weather in Forks and everything to do with Alice's desire to give me a makeover. She grabbed a brush and tugged my hair flat again. I picked up a few chestnut strands and saw it did indeed look much courser. Vampirization had not only made my skin flawless and my face angular, it had given me a shiny luxuriant head of hair.

"Now don't worry. When you get home, we'll apply a heavy conditioner and your hair will be perfect again."

I wasn't worried, but I could see that Alice was now manufacturing excuses for future makeovers. Alice had expressed disappointment when my change didn't bring about a love for fashion and primping. I still preferred jeans and simple cotton blouses. After about a year, she finally accepted this unchangeable fact about me. This has been her first opportunity since my burning on the table to exercise her skills on me. She seemed only slightly miffed that the goal was to make me look a great deal less than perfect. She chirped a little song as she worked.

She opened her makeup case, which was really a large red toolbox, and the metal lid clanged on the counter. I looked for the dainty bottles of foundations, tubes of color, and shiny pots of powder. Instead she pulled out large silver spray cans.

"What are those?" I asked.

"Paint Bella," Alice said as though speaking to a kindergartner.

"Paint!"

"Yes Bella. Your skin isn't permeable anymore, and human makeup won't work. This is more like painting a china doll."

She removed some small pots of pigment and shook them. Then she grabbed a handful of paint brushes.

"No. No. No!"

I stood up. She pushed me back down, hard. Alice was surprisingly strong for such a tiny thing, and she was always a half a step ahead of me since she could see my next move as soon as I decided to make it. It was only then that I understood why her dressing table was covered in plastic. Why hadn't I questioned that before? I just figured it was some scary and weird beauty thing that I wasn't interested in.

"Sit down Bella! You have to go into that school where people will remember you. New people may not make the connection, but people that knew you as human will see the huge changes in your appearance. Now stop complaining. This is for Renesmee!"

Last night, I had lost my battle against sending Renesmee to school. This morning I was due to register her for classes, which started in a week. Alice piled my hair into a plastic shower cap and I closed my eyes. I heard the wet clinks of a metal ball as she shook the first can of paint. The chemical odor coated my nostrils. A mist of paint tickled my face and I retreated to my memories. I remembered my first night with Edward after I was changed. Finally I was durable enough to withstand the full force of Edward's affection. He could kiss me fiercely, and my lips could take it. He replaced feathery butterfly caresses with strong purposeful strokes, and I didn't bruise. I was much stronger than him that first night; strengthened by all of my own human blood that still lingered in my tissues. I tried to be gentle with him, but pure sensation often pushed caution from my thoughts. Edward didn't complain, but it made me understand how hard he had to concentrate not to hurt me when I was human. He didn't have to concentrate that night though, and Edward unchecked thrilled me as a lover. This wasn't our best night together, but it was my favorite memory.

Edward only had as much experience as me because we were both virgins when we married. But he had the benefit of nearly a century of mind reading and was anxious to try everything he'd seen only in other people's thoughts. I was only too happy to follow his lead. It all couldn't be experienced in one night. Five years later he was still full of surprises. I again felt grateful that we didn't need sleep and never experienced fatigue, and I also appreciated that Renesmee did. Separating from him every morning was nearly as difficult as it had been that first morning.

"Time for contacts," Alice interrupted my beloved daydreams.

I opened my eyes. Alice held a small box in her hands.

"These should work much better now that your eyes are gold instead of red," she said.

She popped the lenses into my eyes without warning. I blinked a few times and adjusted to my now clouded vision. The lenses were full of imperfections, and I could see every one of them. Her body blocked my view of the mirror. She slid the cap from my head and fluffed my hair with her fingers. She examined my face like an anthropologist studies dried up old bones.

"Perfect," she declared and stepped dramatically away from the mirror.

Perfect? It was horrible. She got the skin tone right. I had to give her that, but it was interrupted with red and pink blotches. I touched one of them.

"Bella, humans don't have perfect skin tone. They have thousands of colors," Alice said defensively.

The bruise like lines below my eyes were blended away and brown smudges took their place. I could see every split end in my hair and Alice had painted cracks on my lips. I stared at a purple splotch on my neck.

"I'm a monster! You've turned me into a monster," I cried.

"Nonsense, we're all monsters. This is exactly what you used to look like. Look at your eyes."

I looked at my eyes, and chocolate eyes looked back at me. They weren't perfect, but they were close enough that a human wouldn't see the difference. My reflection and I stared at each other while I absorbed the shock. I looked so . . . human.

I heard Edward's footfalls approach the door. He knocked.

"Can I come in now?" he asked.

"No!" I yelled.

"Yes," Alice answered and opened the door.

I panicked and tried to hide my hideous face in my hands, but Edward grasped them in his own hands. He stared into my eyes, and as much as I wanted to look away, to turn my horrid face, his eyes held me captive. He draped his arms around my waist and continued staring.

"I'm wretched," I said.

But Edward flashed his crooked smile and I almost forgot how ugly I was. He stared at me like I was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on.

"My Bella," he said.

His fingers fluttered through my hair with moth-like motions. He brushed my lips with whispery strokes, like he had when I was more fragile. I almost felt my heart speed as if it could do such a thing. He stroked my cheek with less pressure than a breeze.

"You even feel warmer," he said.

"How's the throat? Burning?" I asked.

He laughed and scooped me up. I traced the outline of his lips with my fingers and he rewarded me with another dazzling smile. He laid his cheek against mine.

"Now stop that. Bella has to register Renesmee for school today," Alice protested.

"Fifteen minutes, Alice," Edward said and he flew me out the door to our little cottage.

I pushed Alice out of my mind. These last five years I had developed a high tolerance for the lack of privacy her visions afforded me. There was nothing but Edward now. He opened the door and carried me in. Suddenly, we were years in the past on our honeymoon night. Edward touched me as though I was a soap bubble that would vanish at any moment. He unbuttoned my blouse in true human fashion. Well I didn't have to be careful, and the sound of ripping fabric filled the air as his shirt shredded in my hands. His buttons clicked along the floor. He carried me to the bedroom.

He set me down on the bed like I really was a china doll. He kissed the tip of each of my fingers and tickled the inside of my wrists with kisses that were more air than lips. I shuddered. He moved to my neck and exhaled. His sweet breath made my brain swirl. I grasped his hair and tried to pull him into a passionate kiss. He resisted and kissed along my jawline instead. He pulled back and held my eyes as he stroked my rough and damaged hair. He picked up an end of the ratty mess and kissed it, and I felt as though nerve endings inhabited my hair, and the kiss washed over me. He smiled again and ran his fingertips along my eyebrows. I wanted to close my eyes and just absorb the sensations of his delicate touches, but I couldn't deny myself the pleasure of his perfect face.

He sent me back to Esme's Island when he said, ". . . if I do something wrong, if I hurt you, you must tell me at once."

"Don't be afraid," I murmured. "We belong together."

I could see he was delighted that I was playing along with him.

"Try not to bust the headboard this time," I said.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Same Old School, Same Old Faces**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>Original plot and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.<strong>

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later, Edward and I loped up the path toward the main house. Alice met us at the door.<p>

"Edward, Bella, sometimes you are both quite difficult as siblings," she said.

"And you are always a joy," Edward said but kept his eyes locked on mine.

"A little appreciation is all I ask. An acknowledgement of the sacrifices I make for our family would be nice," Alice said.

Edward and I smiled at each other. One endearing aspect of Alice's personality was her tendency to put on Grammy winning performances.

"You're the best Alice. You know that," I said.

"I shouldn't let you go alone," Edward said to me.

"I'll be fine Edward. I want you here when Renesmee gets back with Carlisle. Who knows what she'll think up next," I said.

"Yes, yes we've already hashed all this out. Now let me look at you Bella. Am I going to have to repair any paint flecks?" asked Alice.

She looked me over and made a satisfied sound. I was grateful for her inspection because I couldn't bear to look at my reflection again. Yet Edward couldn't seem to pull his eyes away from my face.

Edward walked me to my car. Driving away from him was like tearing a piece of my body away. I had come to accept that it would always be this way for us. The deep sense of incompleteness I had felt when separated from Edward as a human had only intensified when I became a vampire. I watched his long and beautiful body recede in my rearview mirror. I was still fully concentrating on the image as I turned onto the road. It used to scare me when Edward took his eyes off the road for long stretches, but now I understood that his other senses allowed him to drive nearly blind.

Forks High School hadn't changed much in five years. It still looked like a collection of brick houses. I parked in front of the one marked, Front Office. Inside, no one occupied any of the three desks behind the counter. I sat in the small waiting area and cast my eyes at the orange carpet, but I only saw Edward.

What could he have really seen in me when I was a mere human? His sharp vampire eyes would have seen every imperfection on my flawed face. Perhaps it may not have mattered much if he wasn't surrounded by the perfect, beautiful faces of Rosalie and the Denali sisters. My brain had worked so slowly, how could he have ever been absorbed by any conversation I had to offer? I was limited and weak and fragile, and he sacrificed so much to keep pace with me. I never understood his fascination with me then, and I would never understand how he could stare at me today as though I was a work of art hanging in the Louvre, rather than a spray painted piece of graffiti created by Alice.

Ms. Cope returned to her desk. I saw recognition register in her small brown eyes behind her thick glasses. She had changed her hair color from the chemical red she used to wear to a brassy bottled blonde.

"Isabella Swan, how have you been dear?" she asked.

"Good morning Ms Cope," I spoke in a rough voice. My new voice was too clear, too bell toned to be inconspicuous.

"I'm doing well. My name is Cullen now. I married Edward," I continued.

"Yes, yes, the wedding of the decade here in little Forks," she said.

That's the charm of a tiny town; easily dazzled with a long memory and no privacy.

"How is Chief Swan doing?"

"My father is doing well. He married Sue Clearwater two years ago."

"Yes, yes."

Of course she already knew this too. Even though Charlie had appeared to be the eternal bachelor, never dating, never interested, it surely disappointed some of the older women in town when even the prospect of snagging a bachelor with a good job was destroyed.

"I heard they are living at La Push now," she said.

"Not exactly. They have sort of split their residence. Sue misses her home, and Charlie likes to be in town if he's needed. They maintain both houses and work it out day by day," I said.

The truth was that Sue needed to keep her ties to her tribe. She was an elder on the tribal council and one of those in-the-know about vampires and werewolves. Well not really werewolves, but shape shifters. Sue was needed to help monitor the vampire threat. Both of her children, Seth and Leah, could shift into wolves, like Jacob, to defend the reservation and, by extension, the town of Forks.

"Oh I see. Well you look good. How is married life?" she asked.

For a split second, I considered the ridiculousness of this question. Calling the state that Edward and I existed in "married life" was too mundane, too earthbound, too absolutely normal to describe what Edward and I had. It was equivalent to asking someone who had just returned from Jupiter how their trip had been.

"We're doing great, thank you. Actually that is partly why I'm here. You see, Edward and I have taken in his niece, Renesmee. Edward's sister died in a car accident a few months ago."

"Oh I'm so sorry."

"Yes, it was sad. Edward didn't know his sister well though. She was quite a bit older than him, and their parents died while he was still very young. They were separated early, but blood is blood," _what an understatement, I thought,_ "and Edward is her only living relative. Renesmee is a delight though."

"Oh dear, the poor girl," she clucked.

"So I'm here to register her for school," I finished.

"Of course. I will need her birth certificate, her transcripts . . . where did she attend school?"

"Chicago."

I produced each document as Ms. Cope listed them. Her birth certificate read Renesmee Carlie Masen because Edward was a Cullen, and he was a Masen. Her mother's name is listed as Elizabeth in honor of Edward's biological mother. Birth city was Chicago where Edward was born in 1901. Jenks frequently provided us with an updated birth certificate to keep up with Renesmee's apparent age. This one read: Date of Birth, 10 September 1993.

Edward fabricated a school transcript on the computer last night. It wouldn't undergo the same scrutiny as a birth certificate or a passport. I handed over her vaccination records, also whipped up last night. The final document showed legal guardianship of Renesmee to Edward and me.

Ms. Cope tapped the information into her computer and scanned copies of everything. She opened a manila folder and slid the copies inside and affixed a labeled marked, Masen, Renesmee C. onto the folder tab. I slipped the fraudulent documents back into my bag, and it was done. My daughter was registered for school.

"She will be starting her junior year, and she needs to plan her schedule," Ms. Cope said and pulled a packet from her drawer.

"Here is a list of our curriculum. You and Edward look it over with Renesmee and choose her classes. Let's make an appointment right away with the school counselor so we can get that worked out. You only have a week. Is tomorrow too soon?"

"Tomorrow will be fine," I said. Ms. Cope scheduled us for 2:00 the next day.

"Well, we're all done here. It was good to see you again Isabella."

"Goodbye Ms. Cope."

I opened the door to leave and nearly bumped into a blonde man entering.

"Bella!"

"Mike, how are you."

Mike Newton leaned in for an awkward hug. I did my best not to touch any part of him with my icy skin. Gratefully our only contact was a few quick pats on my back and Mike pulled quickly away.

"I'm doing great. How are you? Still married to Edward?"

I could see the hope in his blue eyes. Mike had always been optimistic about his chances with me, which was really annoying. But he was still likable, and I was genuinely happy to see him.

"Still going strong," I assured him.

"Good, good," but he didn't seem to mean it.

"So what brings you here?" he asked.

"A family tragedy. Edward's sister and brother-in-law died a few months ago in a car wreck, and we have taken in his teenage niece."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"What about you Mike? You were never a fan of school."

"I know, ironic. Actually I came back to Forks to help my mom with the sporting goods store. My dad hasn't been doing too well. Mom doesn't need as much help as I thought so I've been working as a substitute here. I'll be teaching Mr. Banner's science classes this quarter. He had some back surgery."

"You. A teacher?"

Mike laughed.

"I guess I should be a bit insulted by the surprise, but yeah, that's how it turned out."

"You'll probably have my dau . . .er . . .niece in your class. Renesmee."

"Great."

"Hey Mike, she's been through a really rough time. If you see any. . . well, problems, could you give me a call?"

Spies. I needed spies.

"Sure," he said and pulled out his cellphone. We exchanged numbers.

"It was good to see you Mike."

"You too, Bella. Tell Edward I said 'hi,'"; a friendly sentiment said begrudgingly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Healing**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p>Original plot and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.<p>

* * *

><p>Jacob hesitated at the door. Should he knock? He never had before, but everything was different now. It wasn't his choice, but few things in his life had been his choice. Most of his decisions had been made by the cosmos. He didn't need to choose a career, no, he gets to be a wolf and guardian. Should he join the army? No need to wonder; he gets to battle vampires. Should he search the world for the one person that was perfectly right for him? Nope, that too was taken care of by oh-so-generous fate.<p>

He raised his hand to knock, but Edward pulled the door open.

"Jacob," he said.

"Oh, hey Edward."

"You don't have to knock."

"I wasn't sure."

"I know."

Jacob stood inside the door shifting his weight between his feet. It was the same house, but instead of feeling like an occupant, he felt like an unwelcomed visitor.

"Renesmee isn't back yet," Edward said.

_I know. I wanted to test the atmosphere, _Jacob thought.

"Understandable."

_How is she?_

"She was up all night," Edward said, "Crying. She wants to take it all back."

_I wish she could, but she can't._

"She knows. So she started working on her plans to steal a space shuttle again."

Jacob wanted to laugh, but he saw that this concerned Edward. He would know if it was just a passing thought or if there was intent behind it. This worried Jacob.

The two looked up when they heard Bella's car approach. A sixteenth of a second after she turned the car off, she opened the door.

"Bells!" Jacob said, astonished at the face of the old Bella, the human girl he had been so in love with.

Then Jacob saw Edward staring at the beloved face, and an old buried jealousy pressed into his consciousness.

"Where is Renesmee? She should be home already," Bella said.

Edward stroked her hair. "Carlisle called. They've been delayed."

Edward caressed Bella's cheek, and there they went, staring into each other's eyes speaking their private, wordless language. Jacob looked away just as Rosalie and Emmett entered the sliding glass doors. Jacob realized that Rosalie didn't know yet, and when she found out, she would go for his throat. Part of him really wished that she would.

Emmett barked a laugh when he saw Bella's face.

"Is the old Bella coming back to entertain us? Come on little sister, don't you want to bump into a few things or trip over your own feet, maybe break some furniture?" He laughed remembering the clumsy, human Bella.

"I registered Renesmee for school today," Bella told them.

Rosalie stiffened and froze for five full seconds. Then her eyes bored into Jacob's. How did she know that this was somehow his fault?

"What? Why would you do such a thing?" she demanded.

"We really had no choice, Rosalie," Edward said and then explained all that happened last night. Rosalie smirked at most of it until he reached the end of the story. The kiss.

Rosalie stalked Jacob then. Her fingers curled into claws, and Jacob wondered what the razor sharp nails would feel like as they ripped into his throat. She stood an inch from his face, assaulting him with her eyes. Jacob felt like he deserved everything Rosalie had to dish out, but the wolf within still pushed to aggravate her further. He smiled.

"What's up, Rosie?"

Rosalie growled and lifted her claws. Emmett stepped in and wrapped an arm around Rosalie's shoulders. Jacob saw the bands of muscles in Emmett's arms ripple and bulge. This was a restraining embrace; not a comforting gesture.

"Rosalie, stop it," Bella said. "Jacob didn't plan it, and he resisted. He's just as lost as the rest of us with what to do."

At least Bella didn't hate him. She was still defending him. Rosalie lowered her hands, but she didn't back away or break eye contact. Jacob offered no defense and stared back.

A tower of packages teetered through the door. Jacob assumed that Alice was somewhere behind them.

"I'm halfway done," the packages spoke in Alice's voice. "I haven't even started winter jackets or boots to match. Bella, do you have a list of school supplies Renesmee will need? I can pick them up during my next trip."

The tower reached the living room and Alice peeked around it. Jasper followed with a tower half as tall.

"Set them over in the corner Jasper," Alice ordered. "Oh and I found that red sweater Renesmee wore. They had it in my size. I have the cutest shoes to match."

Bags crinkled as they thudded to the floor. Rosalie broke her pose to look at the pile.

"There," Alice said.

"You aren't supporting this, Alice!" Rosalie said.

"Of course, I don't know," Alice grimaced, "I can't see her future, but I think it will be okay, Rose. She has a family of vampires and a pack of wolves to watch over her."

Alice flashed Jacob a small smile. Good. At least she didn't hate him either.

"Maybe the wolves are what we should be worrying about!" Rosalie snapped and was back in Jacob's face in an instant. Emmett encircled her waist with two steel arms.

"Rosalie, this was Bella's and my decision. She's going to school," Edward interrupted.

"That's right Edward. Throw it in my face that you are the parents. I may not have given birth to the child, but she is just as important to me! And this mutt kissed her." Emmett tightened his grip and for a split second, Jasper thought Rosalie would break his hold. The wolf in Jacob lifted his chin exposing his throat. Inviting. Taunting.

"Jacob, stop," Bella ordered. "Rosalie, he didn't kiss her; she kissed him. Maybe if we give her this outlet, she'll get her head together."

"Oh come on now, what's with all the drama?" Alice asked.

All eyes glanced at her, the star performer.

"Rosalie, are you suggesting that I wouldn't do all in my power to keep my daughter safe?" Edward asked, danger lacing his tone.

"Well look at the evidence, Edward. You let her nearly take off in a space shuttle and approve of her hanging out with a perverted wolf. Where are your priorities?" Rosalie asked.

Edward growled and shoved his face into Rosalie's.

"My priority right now is to feel your head snap off your neck," Edward said.

"Edward!" Emmett warned.

"I'm with Edward," Bella said and her eyes smoldered. Yeah Rosalie was way out of line to question Edward's protective instincts.

Rosalie struggled against Emmett's hold. Edward lifted his hands. Rosalie and Emmett growled at him.

Jacob suddenly felt himself bond with all of the vampires in the room. He loved these vamps and didn't want them to fight. This could be worked out.

"Jasper!" shouted Edward and Rosalie. The feeling of goodwill was replaced with the previous turmoil that better fit the scene. Right. Jasper.

But the interruption in the anger did the job. Edward backed away, and Rosalie relaxed. The glares continued though. Then Carlisle's car approached and everyone hid their tension and feigned peace. Renesmee was chattering to Carlisle as they walked through the door.

"Carlisle, you really have to write it up for a medical journal. She's doing remarkably well, and there is some new genetic cancer research in Boston that may even cure her. I could write it up for you if you don't want to draw attention."

Renesmee stopped and took in the scene in the room. All of the vampires acted nonchalant and Emmett turned a ballgame on the television. Then she met Jacob's eyes.

"Jacob," she said and stepped toward him opening her arms.

"Hey, Nessie" he said but stepped just out of reach of her embrace.

Rosalie glowered at him. Nessie looked down, and her shoulders slumped. The vampires melted out of the room. That is all except Rosalie who stood with her arms crossed; ready to break Jacob at the first opportunity. So they were giving them some privacy, thought Jacob. They didn't hate him.

Of course, privacy was relative. Edward would be reading his thoughts. Jacob looked at Renesmee, and even though he felt no sexual attraction, he suddenly realized that it was impossible for him to do so even if he were inclined. So Jasper was watching too.

"I'm sorry, Jacob," Renesmee said, and her cheeks flared red. Blushing again?

"I know."

"Can't it just be Nessie and Jakie again?" she asked.

"We will always be Nessie and Jakie," Jacob assured her, "I just need some time."

"Hmph." Rosalie interjected.

Renesmee again tried to wrap her arms around Jacob, but Jacob saw defeat acknowledged in her eyes even as she made the gesture. Jacob stepped back another two feet.

"Will you take me to my first day of school?" she asked.

Renesmee looked so wilted. Jacob thought of the terrible things that he had done when he was forced to face maturity too soon. Erratic emotions and poor judgment had defined his new personality. He remembered the shame and disgust he felt when he had told Bella that he would rather she would die than be a vampire. How he had wished he could take it back. Bella had allowed him to do so. Somehow, they had worked past that, and their bond was repaired. He wasn't nearly as good as Bella, but he could do this. Somehow.

"Like I'd miss that," Jacob assured her.

Renesmee smiled and lifted her arms again, but dropped them at her side before reaching toward him. Jacob couldn't resist and he patted her shoulder awkwardly. As soon as his hand made contact, Rosalie hissed. Yeah, this was going to be rough.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: Picture Imperfect**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p>Original plot and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.<p>

* * *

><p>Renesmee left her family in the large Cullen house and made her way back to the cottage. They had all pretended everything was fine, but she knew they had been fighting. She also knew the fight was about her. Rosalie and Jacob had been at it again. Jacob had talked to her, but things were different. The ease was gone. Her Jacob didn't even want to touch her, and it was her fault. But he promised to take her to school, so maybe he didn't hate her.<p>

Her heels clicked against the sand colored floor as she headed to her bedroom. She threw a sketchbook on her bed and grabbed her box of pencils. She drew her mother's face. Not her perfect vampire face and not the haggard ashen face of her birth memories, but the face she saw tonight. She had seen that face many times at Grandpa Charlie's. Her mother's school pictures were lined up on the mantel, a diary of the pre-vampire years. But this was the first time she'd seen it in person. Every one of her mother's faces was beautiful.

Renesmee mixed four browns to create the perfect chocolate color of her mother's eyes. She wove soft reds into the dark tresses, visible only in the sunlight. Final highlights to her mother's eyes and lips finished the picture. Perfect. Her mother wouldn't like it; she never saw her beauty, but her father would be dazzled, and she intended to frame the portrait and give it to him as a gift.

She tore Bella's portrait from the pad, and searched for her Jacob colors, deepest black for his hair, russets for his skin, darker browns for his eyes than she had used for Bella's. With a fluid and practiced motion she etched the side of his face expertly turning her wrist to mimic the curve of his chin. She stopped. Her mood blackened. Had she ruined her relationship with her Jacob? She ripped the page from the pad and threw it aside. Despair threatened to suffocate her.

She grabbed vivid greens, yellows and reds from the box. Under her swift strokes, the edges of a jungle appeared. Zafrina's jungle. She shaded birds and flowers in with bold color. Zafrina lived in the South American rainforest. Her talent was much like Renesmee's because she could project images into other people's minds. But Zafrina's images were more solid, and she didn't need to touch the person. She could also project the image to as many people as were in her range. Renesmee's images were translucent, like looking through a stained glass window, or so she had been told. Zafrina's images were opaque and unyielding. If she chose to project eternal blackness, her objects would think themselves blind.

Over the years, Zafrina had patiently entertained Renesmee with her beautiful pictures. Renesmee looked forward to her visits and her parents had even taken her to visit Zafrina's balmy territory a few times. Renesmee remembered the first scary picture Zafrina had showed her. It was more startling than scary. As Renesmee walked through the jungle of her mind a lizard jumped out at her hissing and lunging. Renesmee has jumped and then squealed with delight.

"What is she showing her Edward?" her mother had asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Every little one enjoys a scared belly now and then Bella," Zafrina had assured her.

"Do it again!" Renesmee had insisted.

"No." Bella said.

Zafrina had forged on. The lizard shot through the jungle toward the river. Without warning a crocodile cut the surface and swallowed the lizard. Animals didn't scare Renesmee, but the unexpected nature of the scene, unaided by scent or sound, astonished her. She let out a little scream and then rolled on the floor giggling.

"Edward," Bella said.

Her father's eyes lost focus and Renesmee understood he was searching her mind for signs of distress.

"It's okay Bellalove. It's kind of like when a human child rides a rollercoaster or visits a haunted house. It won't hurt her."

Images of monkey antics filled Renesmee's mind and washed away the delicious fear. Renesmee and Edward laughed.

As the years moved on, the scary images had grown more frightening to match Renesmee's growing skepticism. Renesmee now drew the latest monster that Zafrina had conjured. Teeth gleamed and dripped with saliva; teeth that could tear through vampire skin and claws to match. Flames flickered out its nostrils; flames hot enough to incinerate its dismembered victims. Bony studs projected from a tail strong enough to penetrate muscles that were harder than diamonds.

The monster in Renesmee's drawing held a pale figure in each claw. Red eyes widened in horror as teeth gnashed toward their owners' necks. Renesmee grabbed her whites now and sketched a hand falling from the mouth. She drew a head at the feet of the beast. Grabbing her purples, she drew lines of smoke throughout the picture; the color of vampire cremations.

On the edge of the scene, she drew an auburn haired little girl. The project was doing what Renesmee had intended; distracting her from the more real horrors of her life; from the thought of losing her Jacob. She grabbed more pencils and before thinking it through, she had drawn a russet colored wolf shielding the girl from the monster. His head was thrown back in a howl.

Renesmee whipped her pencils across her room. Some shattered, but one hit its mark and embedded in the wall. She shredded her drawing.

"He should just let the monster eat me," she said out loud.

She knew Jacob would never let anything hurt her. He wasn't a monster like she was, and she had hurt him. But he promised to take her to school her first day. Maybe he still loved her. She didn't deserve it. She buried her face in her pillow and cried herself to sleep.

Almost immediately, she found herself in the jungle. The image from her drawing came to life and sounds added to the reality. The screech of ripping stone filled the air, and the monster tore bodies apart. She resisted looking at their still faces, but the force of the dream exposed them to her anyway. She didn't recognize anyone. Relief flooded over her, but then the monster turned its attention to her. It stalked forward, sweeping its tail. Its claws dug into the forest floor, and trees creaked and snapped as it cleared its path. A reddish brown wolf stepped in front of her and snarled at the beast. It was no match for the monster. Renesmee could see this clearly. She grabbed the wolf's fur and pulled herself onto its back. The wolf carried her away.

He transported her away from the sounds of ripping stones, away from the roars, away from the dense jungle to a calm meadow bathed in sunlight. She climbed off the wolf's back, and his rich brown eyes stared into hers. He nudged her with his snout, but she turned away. He wagged his tail and made a playful gesture. She didn't want to play. He frolicked among the flowers as though trying to show her his intentions. He wanted her to follow and skip among the birds that scattered in his wake. It was all too childish for her, and she scowled. He leaned his weight on his forepaws with his rump in the air still wagging his tail, inviting her to join in the games. She refused to watch anymore.

The wolf whimpered. Renesmee stayed silent. A howl broke the silence and the wolf ran away. Renesmee panicked and followed, but for every step she took the wolf took a half step more and the gap between them grew as the howls became fainter. The wolf was gone. Renesmee ran calling for her friend, but she couldn't form words. Nothing but screams escaped her lips, but they rang hollow in the empty forest that had morphed from a sultry equatorial rainforest to the temperate rainforest of the Pacific Northwest. The screaming didn't stop.

"Shhhhhh," she heard under her screams.

"Wake up, Renesmee."

An icy embrace cooled the fires of her distress. She opened her eyes, and her father smiled. She crawled into his lap and he cradled her like a baby. He rocked her and continued making comforting sounds. His cool chest felt good against her hot cheek.

"I want to grow up Daddy," she murmured.

"I know," his musical, comforting voice answered.

"I don't want to grow up."

"I know."

"How can that be?" she asked.

Edward hesitated and seemed to collect his thoughts.

"I don't remember much about being your _age_," he said for lack of a better word, "but I do remember when the world was engulfed in war. I wanted to be soldier, and my mother wouldn't let me go. So I tried to enlist behind her back, but she found out. I was angry that she wouldn't let me grow up."

Renesmee had heard this story before, but she sensed that her father was going to reveal another layer.

"I was angry at her and planned to enlist the day I turned eighteen. I spoke brave words in her presence, and my father supported my decision. But I was afraid, Renesmee. I was afraid of growing up and leaving her. One minute I wanted to run away from her because I felt suffocated, and the next I wanted her to sing me to sleep."

Renesmee wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled in as though she were a small child. He rocked her again. He understood even if his understanding was cloudy.

"Then my father got sick, and he died. I so wanted to be a little boy with both parents, living in the safety of their protection. But I also felt the need to be a man more than ever, to protect and care for my mother. Then I got sick and I knew I was dying. I couldn't remember why I had wanted to leave my parents and my boyhood so badly. My mother got sick and I knew all dreams of security had vanished. I wanted my childhood back."

"I'm sorry, Dad," she clutched him tighter. The excruciating pain the thought of losing her parents brought forced tears to trail down her cheeks.

"It was a long time ago, and I have Carlisle and Esme now. You have your mother and me."

"There is no replacement," she insisted.

"No, I suppose not, which is why my fuzzy memory is one of the good things about this life."

_Jacob hates me_, she thought.

"If that were true, and I would know, don't you think I would have snapped him in two?"

"What is he thinking?"

"No Renesmee. I won't tell you that. You must ask him."

Renesmee knew that was the rule. Her father would share many thoughts with her, but not the ones she had no right to. Not the ones that it was her duty to extract.

"I'm a monster."

Her father's soft chuckle tickled her ear.

"Yes, but only by half," he said. Then he sang her a song. She recognized it as a song he had composed for her when she was born. And there in the cold embrace, rocking gently in the security of his arms and surrounded by his angel's voice, she drifted into a peaceful sleep


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Growing Pains**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>Original characters and plot belong to Stephenie Meyer<strong>

* * *

><p>Renesmee awoke to the sun's delicate warmth on her face and chirping birds. Her parents must not be there then since birds and other animals sensed their presence and hid. Her mind was clear this morning, and she knew what she needed to do. Jacob Black would be no more than a brother to her, and she would treat him as such. Maybe brother was too close; a second or third cousin then. Perhaps friend would be best. A girlfriend, she thought, a tall, muscular, husky voiced girlfriend. With an Adam's apple.<p>

Growing up in a house where husbands and wives claimed to be brothers and sisters, where parents were only a few years older than children, where friends were thought of as cousins, and she was the only one she knew with any blood relationship to anyone else, made categorizing Jacob nearly impossible. Already her physical age was nearly the same as her parents, and she would surpass them soon. Yet she couldn't think of her masculine Jacob as a girlfriend. She settled on special friend. He was her special friend.

She could still smell her father's fragrance in the air, and more recently, her mother's. Her mother probably checked on her as she slept. She caught the scent of lavender and freesia on her hand and knew it had lain on her mother's cheek last night. Her mother had listened in on her dreams. She must have been worried about the nightmares.

They'd be waiting to hunt this morning so Renesmee got dressed and ran to the main house. Jacob had planned to go with them, but that's probably all changed now. She pushed the thought away. She didn't need her special friend to hunt.

Her mother and father greeted at the house. As expected, Jacob was absent. Before her heart could fall, her father pressed icy lips to her forehead.

"Good morning Renesmee," he said.

"Morning, Dad."

Her mother smiled at her.

"Ready?" she asked.

Renesmee didn't have much of an appetite, but she smiled back and nodded. She followed her parents out the door. A russet colored wolf waited for her in the yard, wagging his tail.

"Jake!" Renesmee squealed and ran up to him. A sloppy tongue lapped her face.

"Ew Jake, stop it," she wiped at the slime off her face.

The wolf let out a barking laugh, and when Renesmee's face dried, he gave it another saliva bath.

"You're impossible Jake," she said.

This was one scenario she hadn't imagined. The one way she and Jacob could be comfortable again. Jacob had chosen the wolf option.

Renesmee and Jacob hunted as a team. Renesmee got the blood and Jacob got the flesh. They easily slid into their competition of being the first to catch the prey. A deep thud vibrated through Renesmee's body as she broke the deer's head. Renesmee had given up the kill to Jacob. He was clearly the winner, but then he had hesitated. He let her win. A week ago this would have truly irritated her, but today it warmed her heart. Her lips pulled hard at the exposed artery of her prey, and when it ran dry she tossed the carcass in Jacob's direction.

"Fetch!" She yelled.

Renesmee was again rewarded with the barky laugh. He played the part of dog, which always made her giggle, as he snatched the deer out of the air. After he finished his meal, he led her off to a small field. He jumped back and forth on his front paws, challenging her to a race. He gave her a head start, but didn't let her win this time. His four legs always beat her two. Renesmee played with her friend. She didn't send him away as she had in her dream. If he wanted her to be nothing more than playmate, she could do that. Jacob, her special playmate.

He crouched down in front of her, and she climbed on his back. He shot at dizzying speeds toward a low hanging branch. Renesmee clutched his fur and flatted herself against him. A split second before they reached the branch, Jacob flattened his legs and slid under it on his belly. Renesmee's hair tugged twigs from the limb. Bracken sprayed in all directions, and they barely cleared the branch. Jacob barreled through the forest. He pushed himself to his limits to make the ride thrilling for Renesmee, feeding the craving for excitement that eluded her most days.

Jacob charged full speed, and the trees broke. The wolf ran with the grace of a ballerina along the razor's edge of a cliff. Stones clattered off the ledge and into the expanse below. The ocean roared at them, daring them to come and play with it. Renesmee stood on Jacob's back and propelled herself upward and landed on a ledge twenty feet above. She darted to the woods and bulleted back to the cliff's edge and flung herself into the endless uninterrupted space. She closed her eyes and welcomed the air with open arms, flying nearly parallel to the ocean below. As her weigh shifted downward, she opened her eyes and tucked her knees to her chest and somersaulted, and the world spun. The sea reached up to her, and she stretched her body and pointed her toes. Her fingertips knifed into the black water. She cut deeper than she had ever gone before. Just has she felt the water pull her back from her descent, fur filled her hands. She grabbed it and wrapped her legs around Jacob's back as he shot straight back out of the water. They gasped for breath. Down he went again, and they torpedoed for the shore.

In a fluid motion, he was on all fours again and tore back to the trees. He froze at the forest's border. The momentum forced Renesmee's legs from his body. Her hands released his fur and the frustrated energy thrust her into the air. Jacob followed her course from the forest floor. She chose the perfect branch and grabbed it, spinning like a gymnast on a parallel bar to dissipate the force. She stood on the branch allowing the cold air to turn her wet clothes frigid. Jacob sat at the bottom of her tree. She hung by her hands and dropped to his side. She laughed breathlessly.

"That was the best ride ever," she said.

Jacob stood and shook the water from his fur, directing as many drops at her as he could manage. Dripping again, she climbed back on his back. Her hair was still wet and her cheeks flushed when they met up with her parents.

The foursome headed back to the house. Jacob melted into the forest. Renesmee's happy bubble melted with him. Jacob wanted to be human again, and the human Jacob was avoiding her. She nudged between her parents and they each grabbed one of her hands. Both of their noses wrinkled. They tolerated Jacob's smell well, most days, but the wetness had intensified it beyond their limits.

"You may want to shower before Rosalie catches a whiff," her father said.

"She can deal with it," Renesmee answered. _What's a little odor when Renesmee wouldn't have to deal with Jacob in person anymore?_

"He'll be back," her father said.

Of course he would, she thought, but not really. She hung her head.

"Jacob always makes things better, Renesmee. It's just who he is," her mother said.

Her mother's confidence in Jacob never wavered. She and Jacob had tripped over many obstacles along the way, very serious ones, but in the end, when it really counted, Jacob had never let her down. She squeezed her mother's frosty hand trying to absorb some of her certainty.

But Jacob did come back. He knocked. _Now why would he do that_, she wondered. She opened the door. Jacob stood in human form smiling at her.

"Jacob, you don't have to knock," she said.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" he asked.

"Of course."

This was it. He was saying goodbye. She remembered the fading cry of his howls in her dream and how she couldn't catch up to him.

"Three miles Jacob," her father said.

"Sure, sure," Jacob answered.

Three miles because that was how far her father could hear thoughts. He could accelerate from zero to one-eighty in a sixteenth of one second, which meant he would always be less than a quarter of a second away. Her mother would be less than a second behind him. So now they needed chaperones.

Renesmee headed toward the forest, but Jacob grasped her elbow and prevented her from leaving the open field. They trudged through the grass, nearly as slowly as humans, toward the river. Jacob looked tired. His eyes were tight, and some kind of distress cast shadows below them. His hair had grown shaggy, giving Renesmee a lot to grip when he was a wolf. After walking for a few minutes, Renesmee grabbed his hand, preparing herself for the sting of rejection, but Jacob gave hers a little squeeze and hung on. Renesmee's heart soared. Things would work out, but he still steered them far from the trees and always kept within sight of the house.

He broke their silence.

"So you're going to school next week," he said.

"As long as you take me my first day," she said.

"Sure. I said I would. Just giving you a chance to back out." He didn't make eye contact with her but stared ahead.

"Didn't you like school, Jake?"

"It was okay. Your mother and I used to do our homework together." He chuckled, "My grades really improved when she forced me to do it. I stopped going soon after that."

Jacob stopped going to school. Renesmee knew it was because he'd transformed into a wolf and had to worry about vampire attacks and protecting her mother. Then he fought the war with the newborns. He really wouldn't have had time for school.

"What did you want to be when you grew up, Jacob?"

"Not a wolf."

Jacob had never said that to her before. She'd always assumed he loved being a wolf because that's what made him hers. Isn't that what he wanted?

"I thought you loved being a wolf Jacob." _I thought you loved being with me._

"Oh, it's okay now. It's just not what I had planned for my life."

"What were your plans?"

He stopped walking, and gazed at the forest. After a moment, he started talking again.

"Huh. I guess I didn't really have any plans yet. I was still having fun hanging out with my friends, Quil and Embry. I liked to work on cars. I was good at it. I just figured one day I'd do something mechanical. Maybe a trade school. College was your mother's thing. I didn't expect to leave the reservation. Billy needed me. My sisters left, but I was fine. Things like that really didn't bother me."

Renesmee thought about this. There was nothing remarkable about Jacob before his transformation, and he was fine with that. She gazed at him for what felt like the first time. He towered over her. He was just a teenage boy forced to be a man too soon. He should have been worrying about music and girls not battling the forces of evil. And then one day, he should have settled down and married and had some kids. If fate hadn't intervened, he would already be living that life.

Her eyes traced his jawline and his muscular neck. She saw how his strong shoulders supported his torso. Jacob had a normal life before her. For the first time in Renesmee's life, she saw herself more clearly. She didn't inhabit the center of the universe but was just a random speck of carbon that happened to collide the Jacob speck.

Jacob and the world didn't come into existence on the day she was born. Jacob had dreams and plans that were interrupted by a random series of events. Maybe he would have returned to those plans, but then Renesmee was born and permanently altered his life.

All of his choices were stolen on that day. He was a warrior and a protector when he should have been a kid working on a car and grumbling about school. Renesmee continued staring at Jacob, and he became a stranger to her. She finally saw him as a being completely separate from her and no longer belonging just to her. Had she ever consider what choices he would have made? Had she ever thought about his feelings? She now understood the term "growing pains". Ouch.

"What about now, Jacob? What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Oh, I've stopped making plans. My life works better if I just go with the flow."

_He doesn't even make plans anymore. He just accepts that the decisions will never be fully his. What did Jacob want? Why had she never asked that before? And why had she always assumed he wanted everything she wanted?_

Jacob grinned at her.

"You're staring at me like a bad accident," he teased.

"You are a bad accident," she laughed. "I was just thinking that I don't know very much about you."

"You know everything about me." They continued walking.

"No. I know Nessie's Jake. I don't know Jacob's Jake."

"They are one and the same."

"I don't think so. I used to think that, but not anymore."

"Oh no. Don't tell me that Renee has been sending you self-help books again," he rolled his eyes.

"No. I'm just thinking."

"I see the smoke coming out your ears."

"Maybe you could go to a trade school now, Jake. Then we would both be in school."

"I knew this day would come," he snickered.

"What day?"

"The day when I wouldn't be smart enough for you."

Renesmee smiled. What did smart enough for her mean anyway? Jacob was smart in all the important ways.

"You're too smart, Jacob. I want you to go to school to get dumbed down."

"Won't take much," he laughed.

"No probably not. But it still needs to be done."

Jacob tugged her hand and turned her around.

"Let's go back now," he said.

_Yes, let's go back. Let's go back to your life before vampires activated your wolf genes and stole your world from you._

"Okay Jakie."

As this man, who had a right to some self-determination, walked beside her, she decided. He could have his life back. He didn't have to be Nessie's Jacob. He could be his own man. She thought about her father's greatest sacrifice when he left her mother. He'd had similar motives. He wanted to give her mother her life back. Renesmee frowned when she thought about how the decision had nearly killed not only her parents, but her entire family. But she wouldn't leave Jacob. No. She was letting him go. Ouch.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: An Angel**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*As always, the original story and original characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.<strong>

* * *

><p>Renesmee sat patiently while Alice tugged at her hair.<p>

"That sweater is perfect, Renesmee. Emerald green is really your color. Now remember in gym to hold back. Move slowly. Be lethargic even," Alice prattled. Renesmee smelled lacquer when Alice opened a bottle of nail polish. She pulled her hands away.

"Alice, it won't dry in time for school," she objected.

"But you have a chip! You can't go to school with a chip in your nail polish."

"I think I'll survive."

"But I won't."

"I think it's a little harder to kill a vampire than that Alice. You'll live."

Renesmee stood up and glanced in the mirror. Her hair lay in shiny waves, spilling onto her shoulders. The color did look good contrasted with the green sweater. Alice had cut bangs and blew dry them straight. Their delicate fringes caressed her eyebrows. Expertly placed highlights swirled like living things through her tresses.

"You did a great job with my hair, Alice."

Alice continued staring at the offending nail. Her pixie face twisted in worry and she unconsciously shook the bottle of nail polish. Renesmee examined the chip. It was no bigger than the dot on top of an "i". She drew in a deep breath. She wasn't used to feeling nervous.

The week had gone well. Jacob came around every day but always with chaperones. Still he seemed much more relaxed, and they never mentioned that night. He shared stories of his school days with her. He hadn't gone to Forks but attended the small high school on the reservation.

"We actually had a class on Quileute legends. They called it a History class," he'd told her.

"How did you do?"

"I got a D. I didn't think I'd ever need it for real life."

They had giggled. He even took her out one night to watch Claire's dance recital. Quil and Claire had ridden with them in the car. More chaperones.

Alice tugged her hand. Determination set on her face, and Renesmee thought Alice intended to hold her down to fix what she perceived as a crater in her nail polish.

"Mom!" Renesmee shouted for help.

Her mother materialized.

"Alice, let her go," Bella said.

"But she has a chip. It's bad for my reputation."

"She has to leave in a few minutes"

"This is a travesty," Alice said.

Bella rolled her eyes. Alice continued clinging to Renesmee's hand, and a small warning growl escaped her mother's chest. Alice frowned. The growl was replaced with concern. Compassion always won with her mother.

"Okay, Alice, let her go, and I'll . . ."

"Yes?" Alice urged her on.

"I'll . . . uhm . . . I'll let you give me a makeover today."

Renesmee's mouth fell open. Alice bounced.

"Oh Bella! I've been wanting to try some red lowlights in your hair for a while now. And I bought you some new clothes!"

Bella looked horrified. She was always about the sacrifice. Alice darted from the room, and they heard her shuffling throughout the house. Gathering supplies, Renesmee assumed.

"I owe you Mom," she said.

"You do," Bella answered.

Her father appeared in the doorway.

"Jacob's here," he said.

"I just have to grab my book bag."

Renesmee shuffled out and left her mother to her doom. Edward followed her. Then she heard her mother say, "Not yet! We have to see her off to school."

"If I don't get you now, you'll weasel out of it," Alice said.

"Alice, we made a deal. I'll be back."

Bella caught up to Renesmee and Edward, but her face was frozen.

"I'll be okay Mom," Renesmee assured her.

"You can still change your mind," she said. She looked at Edward, who was concentrating on a point in the distance.

"Highly improbable, Love," he said after picking through Renesmee's thoughts.

"Dad, do you think you can stay out of the three mile range of the school?" she asked.

Her father lifted an eyebrow.

"I didn't think so."

The room filled with vampires. All came to see her off to school. Rosalie stood with her arms crossed and, and she Renesmee's eyes.

"Have a good day," she said.

"Oh Aunt Rose," Renesmee said and wrapped her arms around her favorite aunt. Rosalie hugged back.

"Remember, none of those boys are good enough for you," Rosalie said.

"Hey Nessie, if you can sneak into the boys john at the north end of the school, I bet you can still read a little poem I carved behind the third urinal," Emmett said.

"Emmett!" Edward and Jasper said at the same time.

"What? I worked really hard on it, and it's funny!"

"Disgusting," said Jasper, and a flood of confidence washed over Renesmee.

"Thanks Uncle J," she said knowing he had sent her the confidence.

Esme's eyes strained with the memory of tears. Carlisle stood with an arm wrapped around his wife.

"She's all grown up, Carlisle," Esme said.

"Indeed." Carlisle answered.

Renesmee hugged her grandparents. Bella and Edward walked her to Jacob's car. Renesmee heard a soft whoosh and knew her family had immediately scattered, probably half way to the school already. Her parents would follow momentarily. She also caught wolf scent on the breeze. So the pack would be watching too.

She opened the car door and it creaked. Renesmee felt a stab of guilt because she her damage caused the creak, but Jacob's smile greeted her warmly.

"Did I ever tell you the best part about being a wolf, Renesmee?" he asked.

Jacob had a long list of best things about being a wolf.

"What is it today Jake?"

"Not having to go to school," he said and stepped on the accelerator.

Renesmee rolled her eyes, and they didn't say anything more until they reached Forks High School. Renesmee looked at the kids milling about the parking lot. Would they like her? Groups of girls huddled with heads together, tittering and talking. Boys laughed loudly and somehow rudely, eliciting glances from the girls who were thrown into fits of giggles. A group of three girls and two boys sat on the picnic tables playing music. Two flutes, a clarinet, and a trumpet etched out _Turkey in the Straw_, and a pale boy accentuated the ending with a clash of cymbals.

Five boys and one girl lounged by a tree. They weren't dressed stylishly, instead choosing nondescript khakis and button down shirts. Chess club? A petite girl sat alone on the stairs watching the entrance of the parking lot. She seemed to be waiting for someone, and everyone else ignored her. She looked into her book bag, and her black hair fell like silk. She nearly moved with the grace of a vampire. Her skin was dark and even, and her almond shaped eyes were bright.

The girl smiled as a tall boy in a sloppy t-shirt and baggy jeans approached. He didn't smile back, but gestured with his head and she stood. He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the school. What was it about him? Arrogance? Renesmee watched his authoritative stand, the way he directed the girl, the way she obeyed without question. Renesmee decided she didn't like this boy, but she didn't know why.

"So this is it," Jacob interrupted her observations, "but just say the word and we can be cliff diving in ten minutes."

"What will you be doing today, Jacob?"

"Oh, wolfy things."

Renesmee knew he's be eavesdropping on her from the woods.

"You should get a hobby," Renesmee suggested.

"You are my hobby."

"What a boring hobby."

"I wish," he smirked.

"I'm going in," Renesmee said and collected her nerves.

"I'll be here when you come out," Jacob promised.

Renesmee walked up the path to the entrance. She felt Jacob watching and took comfort in that. Heads turned. The boys nodded and smiled as she passed. The girls leaned together and whispered against cupped hands. She could hear them, although they had no way of knowing that.

"That must be the new girl," a female voice said.

"Whoa!" murmured a male voice.

The boys by the tree looked up.

"I wonder if she plays chess," one of them said.

"You wish," said the only girl.

A particularly confident voice announced, "Duty calls. Looks like she needs help finding her locker."

The source of the voice caught up to her and matched her step. He was only average height, but stocky. His jaw was not yet fully squared, but Renesmee saw that his face was quite masculine. He wore a jacket with a letter. Perhaps he was one of the school's sport heroes. His eyes were oddly feminine, doe like, with long lashes, which when contrasted with the strong lines of his face, added to his appeal. He wore his sandy hair cut close to his ears, leaving the top longer and carefully arranged with a bit of gel.

"You must be new," he said. "Can I show you to your locker?"

"Uhm, sure."

A jealous female voice worked its way over to her ears.

"Oh great. Nate's going after her."

"Don't worry about it. Jared told Ashley that Nate was interested in you," a voice comforted.

Renesmee turned her attention back to the boy, who she now knew as Nate.

"My name is Nathaniel," he said. Nathaniel? Was he trying to impress her?

"I'm Renesmee."

"Hi Renee."

"That's Renesmee, not Renee. Renee is my grandmother."

"Resmee?"

"Renesmee."

"Re nes mee," his mouth worked the unfamiliar syllables.

"That's right."

"Would you like me to help you find your locker?" he asked.

Renesmee handed him the slip of paper she had been clutching. It included her locker number and her class schedule. He looked it over, and she saw he was also taking in her schedule.

"Hey we have gym together," he said, sounding pleased.

Renesmee smiled because clearly he expected her to be pleased as well.

"Great," she said.

He led her to her locker, located under a stairwell. The dark haired girl from the stairs was putting books into the locker next to hers. Renesmee glanced around for the boy who seemed to think he owned the girl. All clear.

"Do you need help with the lock?"

"I think I can manage it, Nathaniel, thank you."

Nate stood looking at her expectantly. Now he was getting irritating.

"So I'll see you in gym?" he asked.

_No Nate,_ Renesmee thought, _you saw my schedule, but somehow you won't see me in gym._

"Sure," she said out loud.

He walked confidently away. A few of his friends waited down the hall and offered him high fives. _Hmph_.

Renesmee turned to the quiet girl next to her.

"My name's Renesmee," she said.

The girl looked up shyly. "I'm Sunita." Renesmee picked up on the scents of strange spices emanating from the girl. Human food wasn't her favorite, but these spices were exotic and interesting. Renesmee decided she was probably Indian. Not Indian like Jacob, but Indian from Asia. She hadn't detected an accent, so perhaps she was first generation. Her spicy scent told her that she was still eating traditional foods, so perhaps not second generation.

She started to ask her when her view of the girl was blocked by a back sporting a sloppy t shirt. The boy she had decided she didn't like had rudely stepped between them, banging Renesmee's locker as he leaned against it. He kept his back to Renesmee, but she still caught a whiff of last night's alcohol on his breath.

"Let's go," he said to Sunita.

"Coming Boyd," she answered and walked submissively away.

No, Renesmee didn't like Boyd at all.

She threaded through clusters of students to her first class. She knew exactly where it was because her parents had given her directions. Excitement propelled her steps. This was Mr. Banner's class. She entered the science room where her parents had first met, and she headed for the black lab table she knew they had shared. Should she take her mother's seat or her father's? Curiosity pushed her to her father's chair. She reached under the table and felt the grooves her father had made with his fingers. The outlines of his fingers were long gone, because he had obliterated them to hide the evidence. Still, running her fingertips through the damage, feeling the memento of her parents' first encounter, was intriguing.

That first day, the day her father had decided he would kill her mother; the day he knew he couldn't live another second without tasting her sweet blood. Her blood recognized the true love match and had sung to him, inviting him, even begging him to drink deeply. The mutilated wood under the table represented his decision to fight his most primal urge, and it represented the beginning of an epic love story.

A blonde haired boy fiddled with the window. Renesmee didn't know what he was trying to accomplish, but he stopped every few seconds to gaze outside. Renesmee decided he was just looking for a way to daydream out the window. His blue oxford and khaki pants were slightly wrinkled as though he'd just pulled them from the dryer. Alice would be horrified. Slacker.

Other students began filing into the classroom, slamming their books on the lab tables. The room filled with conversation, and Renesmee felt their eyes on her. Sunita walked through the door and Renesmee waved at her. The girl smiled shyly and headed in her direction. A red headed boy with freckles cut her off and laid his books next to Renesmee. She recognized him as one of the chess club boys.

"Well hello," he said and grabbed the back of the empty seat.

Renesmee grabbed it also, and when the boy tried to pull it out, she held it firmly and said, "This seat's taken."

The boy's face fell.

"The one behind me is open," she offered, and hope filled his face again.

Sunita had already turned to find another seat.

"Sunita, would you like to sit by me?" Renesmee called to draw her back.

Something about the girl had activated her protective instinct. She didn't know what it was, but she understood that in the Cullen family, once that instinct had been triggered, the only option was to go with it. Sunita pulled the chair back, making almost no sound. Her quiet movements were out of place against the banging, scraping, laughing and general pandemonium of the pre-class activities. Sunita looked down at her book.

The blond boy finally gave up on the window and headed to the front of the class. He walked up to the white board and opened a marker. Was he the class clown? Was he going to draw some silly picture to greet Mr. Banner when he finally arrived? The boy lifted his arm and in bold black letters he wrote; MR. NEWTON.

He was the teacher? Where was Mr. Banner? Mr. Newton turned to the class and his shirt was even more wrinkled in the front. His top button was undone and his tie hung loosely. Renesmee looked into his youthful face. Sapphire eyes sparkled in his ivory face. She watched his lips as he introduced himself as a substitute teacher. She noted how his shirt sleeves were sloppily rolled up to just below his elbows. He was filling in for Mr. Banner for a few weeks. He met Renesmee's eye and the classroom dissipated. He smiled and she lost her breath. Somehow, in this old school, surrounded by dingy walls and childish gossip, she had found her angel!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: Waiting**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*All original characters and story belong to Stephenie Meyer.<strong>

* * *

><p>Jacob watched as Renesmee walked toward the school. Teenaged boys swiveled their teenaged necks in her wake. Scrawny, skinny, breakable necks, he thought. He imagined the satisfactory pop he'd feel as they snapped. Get it together Jacob. They're kids. But his ire reemerged when he saw a boy saunter up to Renesmee. He offered her help finding her locker. Mr. Cool, Jacob nicknamed him.<p>

The school doors closed and blocked her from his site. He pulled his car onto the road and searched the surrounding forest for a break in the trees. He found it and made a sharp left turn across the opposite lane, onto the brim, and between two trees with an inch to spare on each side. The trees opened up a bit more and he drove his car out of sight of the road. He climbed out and propped a few dead branches along the car to make sure no random glint of metal gave away its location. Not that any ray of sunlight hoped to reach it but better to be safe.

He stripped quickly and threw his clothes into his backseat. A shimmer hummed through his body and stopped when he was on all fours. He sniffed at the intensified scents of the forest through his wolf's nose. His ears pricked and tugged sounds toward him. About two miles away, he heard a group of kids who must be ditching school today.

"Throw me a beer John," a teenage voice said.

"Fuck you, I ain't your maid," another voice answered.

The sounds of fists pounding into flesh accompanied by grunts took over.

"John, Speed Bump, knock it off," a female voice said and laughed.

"What the hell, she's taking off with the beer," said the first voice, who Jacob assumed was Speed Bump.

Shuffling and then the sounds of a languid chase ensued. The girl giggled breathlessly.

"You can run, but you can't hide, Lilah," said John.

Bottles clinked and hit the padded forest carpet followed by the soft thud of a body.

"Shit Lilah, don't break 'em," said Speed Bump. Murmuring and laughing followed, mixed with the zips of three bottles opening and fizzing.

Right. John, Speed Bump, and Lilah. They wouldn't get anywhere near Renesmee.

Jacob barreled back toward the school.

_Stop staring at me bitch,_ another voice. This one didn't come from the air outside, but emanated from within his head.

_Leah,_ he thought, _what's going on?_

_That angry blonde is looking at me,_ she answered.

Leah still refused to use proper names when referring to the Cullens. Jacob saw Rosalie through Leah's eye. Her upper lip lifted to display perfect teeth, and she hissed.

_Let's all just get along, Leah. We don't need to fight. It's a beautiful day._

Jacob felt the peace in Seth's words and attitudes.

_Seth,_ he thought.

_Ye-es?_ Seth answered.

_Is Jasper by you?_

_Yep. He's a good friend._

Damn it! He needed Seth in full fight mode, and Jasper had him singing _Kumbaya_.

Jacob ran the perimeter of the school. He found the perfect spot, out of sight, but with a clear view of the school. His ears picked up pre-class conversation.

"Re nes mee," a reedy teenage voice said. Jacob recognized the voice as Mr. Cool. What had he said his name was? Nathaniel?

"Great," Nessie answered.

Perfect, thought Jacob and settled down next to a tree. He looked up into the branches.

_Oh hey Edward_, Jacob thought.

"Jacob."

He caught sight of Bella two trees away and grunted. She gave him a quick wave.

_Edward, you have to do something about Jasper. He has Seth passing out flowers and wearing peace beads._

Edward flew from his tree leaving nose tingling scent in his wake. Jacob felt Seth awaken from his peace loving paradise, and Edward jumped back into the tree.

"No!" Edward said.

"What is it Edward?" Bella asked.

"Newton! Our daughter has a crush on Newton."

_Newton? Isn't he that wimp that almost puked in my car? _Jacob asked.

"One and the same. My life has just become Hell," Edward moaned.

Then he hissed.

"Edward?" Bella said.

"His thoughts!" Edward explained.

Jacob's fur stood on edge, and he prepared to bolt into the school. Wait. Now what? His choices were to terrorize the students like a rabid wolf madly tearing through the halls, or a full grown naked man dragging Renesmee from her seat. Shit!

_Edward?_

"What's he thinking?" Bella snarled.

"Not about Renesmee. His thoughts are uncharacteristically disciplined when it comes to the female students."

A growl rumbled in Edward's chest.

"Edward, what's wrong?" Bella asked.

"His thoughts aren't so disciplined when it comes to you Bella. Renesmee's eyes reminded him of you."

"Does he suspect something?" she asked.

"No. He's too busy fantasizing about you to work out the details."

"Oh," She said.

_Oh,_ Jacob thought.

Edward grabbed his head, and a look of pure hatred captured his face. A soft breeze, heavy with Alice's scent, whooshed over Jacob. Alice sat in the tree next to Bella.

"You promised," Alice said to her.

"Not now Alice. I have to watch Renesmee," Bella objected.

"I knew you were going to try to weasel out of our agreement," Alice pouted.

"I'm not weasling, Alice."

"Yes you are! They don't need you here, and I've already mixed up the dye."

"Alice!" Bella said.

Alice stared off into the distance and shook her head.

"No, it's okay. I can see it clearly now. I'll meet you at home in one minute."

Alice zipped toward home.

"Edward," Bella plead.

"I'll watch her, Love. Go have a good time," he smirked.

"What?" she said.

"Besides, I like Alice's work. I'm a fan," Edward leered at Bella.

Bella stared into his eyes, and a small smile lifted her lips. God Jacob hated these moments between those two.

"Fine, but call me if there are any problems."

Bella disappeared.

Jacob settled down again.

_Edward, those oily faced hormone bags are all over her like burrs on prey._

"Like vampire trackers," Edward answered.

_Like blood sucking leeches. Sorry Edward._

"Like influenza."

_Like fleas. _Seth whined and scratched his ear with his back paw.

"Like wolf teeth."

_You and me bitch. Just two minutes. I only want two minutes._ Leah's voice interrupted the black game he and Edward were playing.

"Emmett, this little grey wolf bitch is looking at me," Rosalie said through Leah's thoughts.

"You can take her baby. I love chic fights." Emmett answered.

_Maybe if we all sang a song together, we'll bond, _thought Seth.

Jacob groaned and settled down to endure his long day in Hell.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: Mean Girls**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*All original characters and story belong to Stephenie Meyer. The rest I made up.<strong>

* * *

><p>Mr. Newton shuffled the papers on his desk. He read one of them and walked to the white board.<p>

"I know it's been a long summer, but Mr. Banner has outlined a review from last year."

The class groaned. Renesmee sat up straighter.

"I know, I know. I hated reviews after summer vacation too. I'm not really a teacher after all."

The class chuckled. _Oh he has an amazing sense of humor, thought Renesmee. Acting like he really isn't interested in teaching was probably a teaching technique._ Mr. Newton looked at the paper again and read the words directly from it.

"So, can anyone tell me the three necessary conditions for natural selection?"

Silence. Mr. Newton sat at his desk and propped his feet up. _He's brilliant. By acting uninterested he intended to draw the class out_. Renesmee raised her hand. Mr. Newton swung his legs off the desk, knocking his notes to the floor. He rifled through them, and read from another sheet.

"Right. Er . . . Renesmee? Renesmee, do you have the answer?"

"There must be variation of a trait. The trait must be inherited. And it must affect differential fitness."

Mr. Newton paged through his notes again and concentrated on a page.

"That's right. Thank you Renesmee."

_He's adorable. By pretending to have to check the answer, he was making them all feel confident. Mr. Newton may be the best teacher in the country, and here he was in Forks. He probably wanted to elevate his home town by bringing his talents home._

A student in the back row raised her hand.

"Yes?" Mr. Newton called out and shuffled papers again. "Could you state your name?"

"I'm Kelly."

"What's your question Kelly?"

"What is differential fitness?"

He turned back to his papers.

"Differential fitness is. . . uhm. . . ," he shuffled faster.

"Renesmee, would you like to define differential fitness?"

"Sure Mr. Newton. It's a measure of reproductive success."

_Brillant. He must be one of those teachers that skillfully push a class to teach itself. They don't even feel like they are learning but come away knowing the subject fully. How lucky Forks was to have him._

"Okay guys, I'm not really into reviews. That was last year's stuff, and we should just start fresh. If you promise not to tell on me to Mr. Banner, we can skip it."

The class laughed and voiced assent.

"How about just starting on your homework so you don't have to take up Facebook time when you get home. The assigned reading is chapter one in your text."

Books open and students paged to chapter one. The classroom went silent. Renesmee didn't need to read the chapter. This was kindergarten stuff to her. So she bent her head over her book and watched this glorious being from the corner of her eye.

Mr. Newton propped his feet up on the desk again. He played with a pencil. A low buzzing emanated from his pocket, and he pulled out his phone. Something on the screen made him smirk. Oh how Renesmee wished she could see what he found funny. He quickly tapped a message into his phone and looked at it until it buzzed again. Who was he talking to? He shook his head, and a larger smile stretched across his face.

His lips were quite pale, a delicate pink. His practiced fingers worked the keyboard, and she imagined him brushing her hair behind her ear with them. He laughed out loud at the next reply he received. The class started following suit. Mobile phones were snapped open all over the room. Renesmee even heard the tinny sound of what may have been a youtube video. Mr. Newton didn't notice. He didn't look up from his phone until the buzzer sounded and it was time to change classes.

Renesmee slid her book into her bag and paused at his desk.

"Bye Mr. Newton," she said.

"What? Oh yeah. See you tomorrow . . . Renesmee."

He paused before her name. What could that mean? Was he trying to emphasize it? Like saying he would specifically see her tomorrow instead of a general acknowledgement that he would see the entire class? She waited a few more seconds, and he finally looked up from his phone and gave her a little smile.

Renesmee floated out of the classroom. She jumped a bit when Nate was waiting for her.

"Do you need help finding your next class?" he asked.

What's with him? She's not a total imbecile, but he acts like she would be helpless without him navigating her through the halls.

"Sure Nathaniel," she answered.

He left her at her English class and promised to be back to direct her to her next class.

"That's really not necessary, Nathaniel."

"It's no problem," he assured her.

Renesmee chose a desk in the second row. A petite brunette slipped into the desk next to her.

"Hi, I'm Ashley," she said.

Was this the Ashley she'd heard about this morning? The one who Jared had told that Nate was interested in the jealous girl? She sounded like her. That's the problem with eavesdropping; half told stories.

"I'm Renesmee."

"Sure, I know. You're all anyone is talking about here."

_Gotta love small towns. _

"I'm sure I don't warrant that kind of attention."

"Well Nate seems to like you."

If this girl is that Ashley, was she on a fishing expedition? Would she report any comment Renesmee made back to the jealous girl? What message should she send? Perhaps something neutral and disinterested would work best.

"Nate? Who is that?"

"The guy that walked you to your locker."

"Nate? Oh, you mean Nathanial." _Ha! Let them pull that apart later._

"Nathanial? Why would he tell you to call him that?"

"Don't know. He seems nice enough but not my type."

"What's your type?"

_Tall. Dark. Dangerous._ Renesmee amended that thought and said,

"Mmm I guess I like blondes with blue eyes. Not too athletic though. The brainy type."

She watched Ashley's eyes and imagined her putting those details into a little folder and filing them away in her brain. The classroom filled with students, and the teacher called them to attention. Renesmee regretted that the little game had ended. It was kind of fun. Jacob would get a kick out of it.

Renesmee trudged through English and Trig and learned that the jealous girl's name was probably Morgan. This tidbit was handed to her when two girls in the back row of Trig had whispered to each other.

"Wow, she's pretty. I think Nate likes her. Do you think he'll invite her to Homecoming?" said Girl One.

"I don't know. Jared said he was going to ask Morgan," said Girl Two.

"Morgan is going to be pissed."

"Yeah, things could get ugly."

"Look at Tommy. He's staring at her," the girls giggled.

"Maybe he'll try to impress her with his chess abilities." They giggled louder.

Renesmee was quite certain that she had found the mean girls. They would be fun to play with. She would consult with Rosalie on how best to handle this type. Nobody was more bad ass than Aunt Rosalie. Did the fact that she enjoyed playing with the mean girls make her a mean girl?

When Trig let out, Renesmee glanced around for Nate. She saw him working his way through the mob of students intent on reaching her. She cut deeper into the crowd and walked quickly to lose him. What in the world did all these girls see in him?

Sunita stood at her locker. Boyd hovered over her with his back to Renesmee. Sunita reached into her locker and pulled out a cylindrical silver container with a handle. Renesmee caught the scent of unfamiliar spices and guessed it was the girl's lunch.

"That smells like crap," Boyd said.

Sunita looked down but didn't respond. He grabbed her elbow and pulled her in the direction of the cafeteria.

"Renesmee?" a timid voice said.

Renesmee turned to find the red-haired boy from Biology smiling at her. Renesmee smiled back and watched as a blush crept up his face. Its fire competed with his hair.

"Hello, I didn't catch your name," she said.

"Tommy," he said and the blush darkened, intensifying the blue of his eyes.

"So what do you think of Mr. Newton?" Renesmee asked. It was something they held in common and was a great excuse for her to talk about what was now her favorite subject.

"Mr. Newton? Oh, uhm, hmmm. He's different. I don't think he likes to teach."

"Yeah, but I think he acts that way to trick us into caring about learning,"

Tommy looked puzzled.

"Oh? Maybe. Well . . . uhm . . . I just wanted to ask you . . . I mean . . . " he looked at the floor and examined his shoe laces. The words sped from his mouth, "can I walk you to lunch?" He looked up and added, "I mean it's okay if you don't want me to. I just thought since you were new . . . ," he looked back down at his foot and kicked the air.

"Sure Tommy that would be great."

He beamed at her. Her lips stretched across her face and she offered him an enthusiastic smile. He stared at her and seemed to struggle with his thoughts. She smiled wider, and he shook his head a bit.

"Gr great," he finally stuttered.

When they got to the cafeteria line, Renesmee fished out her lunch money. Her father had handed it to her with a smirk on his face. He'd lifted an eyebrow and said, "It's all about the props Little Love." She had grimaced. She could eat human food. She ate it when she was with Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Sue. Sue knew her secret but still would offer her seconds with a mischievous light in her eyes.

"Have a second helping of lasagna," she would say while holding a brick sized slab of the mush up in front of Renesmee's face.

"No thank you Grandma. I'm full."

Sue would wave it a bit, stirring the air and inhaling the offensive aroma deeply.

"Doesn't it smell wonderful? I think you are getting thin."

"Young girls diet too much," Charlie would say, "It's not healthy! Eat some more."

"I'm not dieting Grandpa. Really, I'm just full."

And then Sue would instinctively end their private game, before it shifted from teasing to cruel.

"Oh Charlie, you can't expect our tiny girl to have the same appetite as a big strong man like you," she'd say and grab his biceps and act impressed. Charlie would chuckle and Sue would kiss his head. Watching that was nearly as bad as eating lasagna.

"Oh good, they have sloppy Joes," Tommy said enthusiastically, interrupting Renesmee's ponderings.

"Are their sloppy Joes good?" Renesmee asked. She examined the greasy, gelatinous slop oozing into colorless bread.

"The best! I'll take two please," he placed his order. Renesmee listened as the glistening mixture left the serving spoon with a _schloop_.

"One please," she said and swallowed hard.

Tommy headed to the chess club table, but before Renesmee could follow a frantically waving hand caught her attention.

"Over here Renesmee. Come sit with us," Ashley called.

"Tommy, let's go this way," Renesmee said. Tommy looked at the table and blanched. He looked back longingly at his chess friends.

"Okay," he mumbled.

Next to Ashley sat a tall girl, with soft brown hair highlighted blond. Large grey eyes watched her from beneath perfectly sculpted eyebrows. Her small nose turned up with an arrogant air. Her carefully lined and painted pink lips pouted. She looked at the boy following Renesmee and then at Ashley. Ashley shrugged. Girl One and Girl Two tittered. Tommy blushed.

"Uhm, Renesmee, maybe I should go to my regular table. We can eat together some other time," Tommy said.

"Don't be silly Tommy. I want to eat lunch with you," Renesmee said.

They sat.

"Renesmee, this is Morgan," Ashley said introducing the girl that owned the jealous voice Renesmee had heard that morning.

Morgan nodded at her, but said nothing.

Nate slammed his tray on the table.

"Hey Tom Sawyer," he said and clapped Tommy on the back with what looked like a friendly gesture but nearly knocked the food out of Tommy's mouth.

"You look like you've been working out. Getting ready for an upcoming chess tournament?" Nate asked. Two of his football friends guffawed. Girl One and Girl Two snickered.

Renesmee didn't like how Tommy dropped his sandwich and stared at his tray. Sloppy Joes were his favorite after all.

"The way I see it," Renesmee said, "chess is what football is all about."

Tommy lifted his head and looked at her.

"Is that so?" Morgan spoke her first words to Renesmee.

"Sure. I mean think about the strategy. Somebody has to write the playbook. All of the players have different functions, and they all have to protect the queen-er-I mean quarterback."

"Queen!" the two boys, who Renesmee now knew as Ray and Jared, laughed and punched Nate. Nate must be the quarterback.

"Tell us more," Morgan urged sarcastically.

Her voice was flat and grated on Renesmee's ears.

"Well, once the plays are written and decided, the actual players are no more than meat that's moved around the game board."

"Oooooo burn!" Jared said.

"That's just the way I see it of course," Renesmee added.

"Is that the way you see it? With your pretty brown eyes?" asked Nate.

Morgan glared at Renesmee.

"Yep," she answered and popped the _p_.

Tommy grabbed his sandwich and took a large satisfying bite. His smile worked across his face as he chewed. Renesmee spotted Sunita and Boyd sitting at a far table against the wall in shadows. No one sat with them. Sunita looked incredibly unhappy. Even from this distance, she could pick up the aroma of Sunita's lunch. It wasn't appetizing exactly, but the fragrant mix worked through her nose and coated her tongue in a pleasing way. What was going on with those two? Renesmee determined to find out.

Girl One and Girl Two turned out to be Tracy and Traci.

"I spell my name with an 'I'."

"I spell my name with a 'Y'," they had giggled. _Gag_.

Conversation soon turned to the upcoming Homecoming dance.

"I still have to buy a dress," Ashley said, "Do you want to go to Port Angeles with me this weekend Morgan?"

"I already bought my dress, but I need shoes, so yeah, let's do it," Morgan answered.

"Who's your date?" asked Tracy.

"I'm going with Jared," Ashley said and smiled at her football star.

"What about you Morgan?" asked Traci.

"I have some offers but no definite plans yet," she answered.

The table paused for a moment. Tracy and Traci looked at each other.

"I haven't asked anyone yet, but since I plan on winning the game, it's gonna be a celebration," Nate said. Then he looked significantly at Renesmee. Morgan smoldered and Renesmee wondered about spontaneous combustion.

"What about you Renesmee?' one of the Tracies, as Renesmee had come to nickname them, asked.

What would Aunt Rosalie do? Less is more, she decided.

"No plans," she answered and gathered her food onto her tray. She had managed to swallow a sip of cranberry iced tea and three bites of sloppy Joe. A couple more bites lay hidden in her napkin. She stood to leave. Tommy stood with her.

"See you in gym Renesmee!" Nate called as they walked away.

Tommy groaned.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: Gym**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Original story and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.<strong>

* * *

><p>Renesmee changed for gym in the locker room. She listened to the muffled whispers around her.<p>

"Did you hear what she said about football players? She called them meat on a chessboard."

"It doesn't seem to have discouraged Nate though."

"I know. Did you see how Morgan glared at her?"

"Well Morgan will be crowned Homecoming Queen, and she expects Nate to be on her arm. Wouldn't it be funny if . . ."

"Hysterical!" Two voices giggled.

Renesmee slammed her locker and walked past the two girls.

"Do you think she heard us?"

"She doesn't act like it."

Renesmee entered the gym, and Tommy jogged over to her and stood awkwardly. His pale and skinny legs stuck out below baggy shorts. He folded his arms in a seeming attempt to hide his bony chest.

"Hi Tommy," she said hoping to put the boy at ease.

Before he could answer, he was shoved sideways, tripping over his feet and nearly falling in the process. Nate stood in front of her.

"Don't you have some fences to whitewash Tom Sawyer?" he laughed.

"So does shoving smaller people around make you feel big, Nathaniel?' Renesmee glowered at him.

He shrugged.

"Survival of the fittest, doll."

"Well if that theory held true, you would have been wiped of the face of the earth a long time ago," Renesmee retorted.

"What?"

_How she would love to tell him what she meant. She'd love to reveal to him that monsters exponentially stronger than him would consider him nothing more than a snack. Hell, she was one of those monsters. How satisfying it would be to intrude on his nightmares. It would give him some perspective._

"I mean there is always someone stronger, faster and meaner. You should think about that the next time you act like a bully."

Renesmee pushed past him and caught up with Tommy. He walked with his head down and his ears glowing red. She gave him a soft punch on the arm. Very soft. A butterfly wing. Tommy smiled at her.

Coach Clapp blew a shrill whistle, and the class quieted down. Two volleyball nets were set up at either end of the gym. He walked over to the group of students.

"Count off," he said.

Each student counted off a number and ended with twenty-six.

"One through nine, to the net on the left. Ten through eighteen to the net on the right. Everyone else to the basketball hoop," he shouted.

Renesmee and Tommy headed toward their net. Nate walked behind them. Coach Clapp took care of the other two groups before reaching them. The sounds of balls slapping hands and pounding the floor reverberated throughout the hollow gym. Sneakers squeaked.

"You, and you. Team captains," the coach half yelled and pointed to Renesmee and Nate.

_Great._

"WOOOO!" shouted Nate, and he was joined by other jock types. Nate took first pick, and chose a tall, muscular boy.

Renesmee looked out at her choices.

"Tommy," she said. He nearly skipped over to her.

Nate chose another member of the football team.

Renesmee chose a girl with stringy blonde hair and matchstick legs.

Nate chose a boy with feet as large as Renesmee's forearm.

Renesmee chose a pudgy girl who held her hands over her middle section, possibly in an attempt to disguise her weight.

They alternated their picks until everyone had a team. In the end, Nate's team outweighed Renesmee's team by 400 pounds of muscle. Nate served first. His fist propelled the ball directly at the thin blonde in the middle front row. She covered her face with her hands and flinched. The ball smacked her head and down she went. She sat with her knees drawn to her chest and a stunned look on her face.

"Shannon, are you okay?" the pudgy girl asked.

Shannon didn't answer, but continued dazed. The other team whooped. Renesmee glared. Coach Clapp came over to check the damage. He helped Shannon stand and sent her to sit out the rest of the game.

"Nate," he said, "Take it easy. You're not on the football field."

"Sorry Coach," Nate called out, but Renesmee didn't detect any remorse on his voice.

Nate bounced the ball a few times and called out, "One, nuthin'."

He aimed the ball at the hole in the front row. Renesmee looked at her teammates. None of them were paying any attention. The brunette girl who should have picked up the slack was spinning on her toe. The others weren't looking at the ball either. Tommy, who was in the opposite corner in the back row, was looking at her. Renesmee considered shoving everyone out of her way and just spiking the ball, but she remembered Alice's warning to hold back in gym. But then she thought about the chess board and turned to Tommy.

"Tommy, be a knight!"

He looked at her with a question on his face.

"Like chess! Hurry."

Understanding dawned on him, and he ran to cover the empty spot and returned the ball. But then he turned around and raised his fists in a sign of victory. So he never saw the ball heading toward his back. It smacked him between the shoulder blades and knocked the air out of him. The ball flew back over the net. This time, the other team had let their guard down, never expecting the ball to be returned. They missed. Renesmee was up to serve.

"Zero, one," she called out. She hit the ball weakly, but it was deceiving. What she couldn't let loose in power, she made up for in aim, and the ball dropped nearly straight down on the other side of the net. Gigantic feet boy tried to return it, but got caught up in the net.

"Come on guys. We ain't gonna let these wimps score anymore," Nate bellowed.

His team hooted in agreement. Renesmee wondered what honor these jerks felt in winning against her team. She looked over at Shannon and saw she was still holding her head.

_Well, maybe just a little power. I can pretend it was a fluke, _she thought.

She smashed the ball with her fist, and it flew true to her target; Nate's face. Nate didn't know what hit him, and a small trickle of blood connected his nose to his lip.

_Yummy, _thought Renesmee. Then she cried out and started shaking her hand back and forth.

"Ow, ow. That stings. Ouch!" she pretended to be hurt. She grabbed her hand and held it to her chest.

"Are you okay Renesmee?" called the coach.

"I think so coach, just give me a minute."

"Is that blood Nate?" he yelled out.

Nate wiped his nose and rubbed the blood on his shirt.

"It's nothing Coach."

"Take it easy! This is supposed to be a friendly game."

"Got it coach," Nate answered.

"Two, one," Renesmee yelled. She planned her next target but stopped. She lowered the ball.

_Shit, shit, shit,_ she thought, _I'm in trouble. And this right on the heels of me punching Jacob._

She knew there was no way her father had not seen the entire assault play out. Would he make her leave school? What was she thinking?

"Any day now," Nate yelled at her.

The zeal for the game had drained. She felt sick. She dropped the ball and cradled her hand.

"Uhm, I think my hand hurts worse than I thought," she said and walked over to Shannon and plopped down beside her.

_I'm sorry Dad. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Please don't take me out of school, _she thought, already starting her defense.

Renesmee sat and watched her team lose. Maybe her father would understand. He wasn't squeaky clean himself. She would appeal to him along those lines.

_Yes, everything will work out okay._

But no matter how hard she tried to convince herself of that, she still dreaded the final bell


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Morality?**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Original story and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.<strong>

* * *

><p>Jacob smiled when he saw Renesmee emerge from the school doors. Then he frowned when he saw Nate at her side. Then he smiled when he imagined Renesmee smashing a volley ball into his face. He noted the slight swelling around the boy's nose. Edward had seen the entire thing and had reported it to the vampwolf squad patrolling the school. Rosalie had snorted. Emmett had roared with laughter. Seth had thought, 'violence is never the answer.' _Damn Jasper_.

Renesmee opened the passenger door.

"He deserved it!" she said in full protest mode.

"Hello to you too," Jacob answered.

"Hello. He's a bully Jacob. Someone needed to put him in his place."

Jacob searched his emotions, looking for one that would allow him to condemn Renesmee's actions. He couldn't find it. Hadn't he wanted to snap the boy's neck this morning? Yet he and Renesmee had different motives, and hers were slightly more noble.

"You're not a superhero Nessie. It's not up to you to set things right in the world."

"Maybe I am a superhero! Maybe all the comics are based on people just like me. Maybe it was my duty!"

"Keep telling yourself that. Do you think your dad is gonna buy it?"

"No," she mumbled. "Do you think he'll take me out of school?"

"I hope so."

"Jacob!"

"What? I'm just sayin' it wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen."

Renesmee huffed and looked out her window. They didn't say another word for the rest of the ride.

As expected, Bella and Edward met Renesmee and Jacob at the door.

"I can explain, Dad," Renesmee opened.

Edward lifted an eyebrow.

"Well, okay. I know you already know the whole story. But, Dad, he's a bully."

"I know that Renesmee."

"And I wasn't . . . Oh Mom! Your hair. It's, it's . . ."

"Stupid," Bella said.

"No. It's beautiful," Renesmee said.

Jacob looked at Bella. Alice must have had a field day. Her chestnut locks had deep red streaks or lowlights, or whatever the women called them, woven throughout. Alice had cut 4 inches off her hair, and angled it up to fringe against her neck and chin. She wore a clingy indigo blue blouse made of silk or some other girlie material.

"Dad, doesn't Mom look dazzling?"

Edward stared at Bella. Bella looked down and gazed at Edward through lowered lashes.

_Geez, why are vamps so easy to distract? _Jacob thought. He considered how absolutely dangerous Renesmee could be as he watched her totally play her parents.

"Excuse me," Jacob said snapping his fingers, "back on topic. Snap out of it. You were getting ready to tell your daughter she couldn't go to school anymore."

"No they weren't Jacob! They were getting ready to forgive me and give me another chance!" Renesmee countered.

Edward tore his eyes away from Bella, and as though they were one person, they both looked at Renesmee.

"Renesmee," Edward said.

"Dad, I know. You know I know. It looked like an accident to everyone around me."

"That's not the point," Bella said.

"Mom, I know the point. I do. I made a mistake. It's not like I'm the only one," she said.

Edward looked down. Yeah, he'd made lots of mistakes.

"Besides, you never even asked me how my first day of school went," Renesmee let her eyes tear up.

_Unbelievable._

"Renesmee, I'm well aware of how your first day of school went. You bloodied a boy's nose."

_Go Edward!_

"Dad, he's a bully. He deserved it. I would think you would understand that."

"Enough Renesmee. I paid a high price for my . . . vigilante days."

"You should be ashamed of yourself, using that against your father, Renesmee. I don't even know how to talk to you anymore, but I will not allow cruelty," Bella said and stroked Edward's cheek. Edward turned his full attention to her.

_Not again._

Renesmee blushed deeply. It seemed to be a new habit of hers.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I was being mean. I don't know what's going on with me. There is so much to learn. I felt so much smarter yesterday than I do today. Please don't make me leave school. Please?"

"They are fragile, Renesmee," Edward said.

_Oh good, he's back._

"I know."

"Do you really know that?" Bella asked. "This is not a game. You've never been fully human, but we all have. You aren't there to dole out justice."

"But, sometimes . . ."

"No Renesmee. There are no buts. You either understand this or you don't," Edward said.

"Well maybe I don't understand then. We have all this power. How can we just stand by and watch the injustice?" Renesmee dug in.

"It's not our world," Edward said.

"Well it's my world!" Renesmee almost shouted.

"Only by half," Edward responded, his voice even and low, "and you should, no, you must separate those two halves. Do you think you can do that?"

"I can try, but I can't promise," she said.

"That's not good enough," Bella said.

"Do you want me to lie to you, Mom? Would you rather I break a promise? I'm trying. I am. I made a mistake. I will try very hard not to let it happen again. It's not like I thought it through. I just did it. I'll know better next time."

"So you'll stop yourself next time?" Bella asked.

"Well, I'll think it through next time," Renesmee answered.

"Edward?' Bella said.

Edward stared at Renesmee with a look of concentration on his face.

"She is committed to trying her best. But as she said, she's not sure she will be able to resist," he answered.

"Is that good enough?" Bella asked.

"I don't know, Love. I only know she is strongly committed to trying."

"We should leave Forks," Bella said.

"What?" Renesmee and Jacob said together.

"No!" Jacob shouted.

"Bella, leaving won't solve anything. We have to work this through," Edward said.

_Yeah! Work it through. Edward, I'll watch her more closely, _Jacob thought.

"You can't be everywhere, Jacob," Edward answered Jacob's mental discourse.

"And you can't be sure you won't have the exact same problems halfway around the world. Only, only, I won't be there to help," Jacob pled.

"I know," Edward answered.

"I don't know, Edward. I don't know what to do," Bella said.

"We've always taken risks, Bella. We used to lead Jasper around school, knowing he was thirsty, testing his control. On the one hand, it was foolish. On the other, it made him stronger. I took you into a meadow unsure if I could resist. It always worked out, and she's committed to trying."

"That's different," Bella argued.

"How, Mom? How is it different? This is who we are. It's just the way it is. I'm not going to kill anybody; you can be sure of that. I just don't know if I can resist intervening when I see humans getting hurt, but I promise to try very hard."

Jacob wasn't enthusiastic about Renesmee staying in school, but he didn't want them to leave Forks either. He knew Renesmee wouldn't kill anyone, and he could only hope no one would get maimed. She was right. This was who they all were. This was the burden they carried, no matter what the context. The universe never asked for anyone's opinion when it threw its little jokes at them. _Damn universe!_

"Let her stay in school," Jacob said.

Renesmee smiled at him.

"Bella, we can't lock her into a cement vault," Edward said.

"We can try," Bella said.

"She'd only find a way out, and then she'd be unbearable," Jacob said and rolled his eyes.

"Bella?" Edward asked.

"Renesmee, I'm saying yes because I don't know what else to do. You need to try harder."

Renesmee hugged her mother and pulled back. She ran her fingers through her mother's new hairdo.

"You really do look beautiful, Mom. You always look beautiful. I'm sorry I'm such a problem."

Bella clutched Renesmee to her.

"You're not a problem. No. We just have a problem. We'll work it through."

Renesmee turned to Jacob and wrapped her arms around him. He didn't step away this time.

"I'm sorry, Jakie. You're going to hate me soon."

Jacob pulled her tighter.

"Never," he murmured against her head, "my damn genes won't let me."

Edward turned his attention back to Bella.

"I love that color on you. You don't wear it enough," he said.

"I should wear it more often," Bella said.

_And they're off again, _Jacob thought. He swayed a bit, still holding Renesmee. The stakes had been raised tonight. This was no longer about school. This was about keeping them in Forks.

_I gotta get into that school, _Jacob thought.

"Rosalie and Emmett are on their way in. Will you two be okay for 45 seconds?" Edward asked and kissed Bella.

"Go, please. We don't wanna see that," Jacob said and covered Renesmee's eyes with his hands.

The love birds flew out the door toward their cottage.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen: Bad Ass**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Original story and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.<strong>

* * *

><p>Jacob and Renesmee stood together for fifteen seconds after Bella and Edward made their exit. They would be unchaperoned for another thirty seconds. Jacob grasped her hand. Renesmee enjoyed the feeling of Jacob's large warm hand surrounding hers. He stared into her eyes. The desire to stroke his cheek tingled in her fingers, but she resisted. Such a gesture seemed too intimate now. She finally had her Jakie back, and she didn't want to ruin it. And yet, she wondered what his soft full lips would feel like under her fingertips. How had she never before noticed how inviting his lips were? <em>No, Renesmee<em>, she thought, _he has made it clear that things can't go that way._

"What are you looking at?" she asked him when his eyes didn't divert from hers. She cleared her throat a bit to erase the huskiness that had crept into her voice.

"Nothing," he answered.

Then he smiled, and she watched intrigued as his lips stretched over his perfect white teeth. Her heart sped. _Wait, what's going on with my heart?_ He squeezed her hand, and an electrical current shot up to her elbow. She wondered if he felt it too. Ten more seconds until her Aunt Rosalie and Uncle Emmett broke this spell. Ten seconds to say something. He was hers, and she liked it. Did he feel the same? _Eight seconds_. She should tell him how much he meant to her. She should ask him what he was thinking, what he was feeling. _Five seconds._ What was she feeling? She wasn't sure. How could she pour her heart out to him if she didn't know what was in it? Should she wait for him to start such a conversation? _Three seconds._ He smiled wider. She caught her breath. He was going to say something. _One second._

Jacob raised his hand toward her face. She closed her eyes in anticipation. He tweaked her nose.

"Figures," she said, pretending to respond to his comment, but really voicing her frustration.

Emmett burst through the door followed by Rosalie.

"Nessie, how was your first day of school, you little monster?" Emmett asked. A huge grin ate up his face.

"I think you know the answer to that Uncle Em."

"Just the highlights. Tell me more. Did he bleed much?" Emmett licked his lips, and motioned with hands, pretending to eat with a knife and fork. He had such a knack for finding the humor in any situation.

"Just a little bit. I barely grazed him," Renesmee answered.

"Well I must say it's hard for me to not support the idea of a violent man getting his due," Rosalie said.

"That's right, Baby. You're my sexy, blonde, long legged, killer, aren't ya?" Emmett said, pulling Rosalie closer to him, as he smacked her bottom.

"Remember that," Rosalie said with a growl, but it was softened by her smile.

"Did you read my poem, Nessie?" Emmett asked.

"They have a rule against girls barging into the boys' john," Renesmee said.

"That's okay. I'll recite it for you." Emmett cleared his throat dramatically, and stood with the air of Plato at a podium.

"I once knew a bombshell named Rosie . . ."

"Emmett, stop," Rosalie interrupted.

"But it's funny!" Emmett pouted.

"Yes, it's funny. Flattering too. But I don't want to listen to Edward pontificating about all that age appropriate crap," Rosalie said.

Emmett winked at Renesmee. "Later," he promised.

"Nessie, I have to go. I have some things to take care of," Jacob said.

Renesmee frowned. He let go of her hand and it immediately felt cold.

"You should have taken care of those things today instead of spying on me," she said.

"Yeah, you know that's never going to happen," Jacob answered.

"But I don't want you to go," she whined.

"I'll come back tonight. We'll watch a movie," he promised.

Rosalie grimaced.

"Okay, but I'll be here. I'm not going to the cottage tonight. I don't think I'll be able to stand the parents," she said.

"I hear you there," Jacob agreed and left.

"So what else happened today?" Rosalie asked.

"I think I pissed off the most popular girl in school," Renesmee answered.

"Yeah! What did you do?" Emmett barked.

"I didn't do anything. She likes that idiot Nate, and now she thinks I'm the competition. He followed me around all day, even after I bloodied his nose."

"You _are_ the competition," Rosalie explained.

"I don't really want to be competing with her."

"Doesn't matter. One of you has to own the school, and she isn't going to hand it to you."

"I'm not trying to take it from her. But I still want to win," Renesmee admitted.

"Oh I love it when women fight," Emmett inserted.

"Of course you'll win," Rosalie asserted.

"Baby, I love your spunk," Emmett said.

"I may have lost already," Renesmee said.

"What are you talking about?" Rosalie asked.

"Well I kind of referred to football players as meat on a chessboard. It seems to be blasphemy."

Emmett guffawed and clapped his hands.

"Wait here," Rosalie said and zoomed out of the room.

She returned dangling keys from her fingertips. She tossed them to Renesmee. Renesmee caught them and stared at the prize.

"Is this . . .?"

"Yes. The Ferrari. I boosted it too," Rosalie said.

"The new one?"

"Yes. Drive that baby into school tomorrow, and you've already won. Alice said it will be sunny, so you can put the top down."

_Sunny? That means only the wolves will be watching. _

"You're a genius, Aunt Rose."

"When it comes to certain things, yes I am."

"You got that right Rosie," Emmett agreed.

"Uncle Emmett, what was Dad like in school? And give me the dirt."

"Sheesh, Nessie, your dad was as straight laced as they come. A regular teacher's pet."

"Come on, there has to be something."

"Well there was that time he took up with this purely human girl. He wanted to kill her. He stalked her and would watch her sleep every night."

"Uncle Emmett!"

"Okay, okay. There is one thing. He wanted to make this guy jealous, but his motives were purely philanthropic, so it's boring."

Renesmee pulled out a chair.

"Spill," she said.

As Emmett filled her in on the details, he also filled the time until Jacob would return.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen: Winner

By:

Interest Me

* * *

><p><strong>*Original story and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.<strong>

***Lyrics used in this chapter are from Meredith Brook's, _I'm A Bitch_**

* * *

><p>Emmett's barking laugh woke Renesmee. That was one irritating thing with sleeping at the main house; more sleepless vampires meant more noise. The sun shone through the glass wall of her bedroom. It used to be her father's bedroom before her parents married and took up residence in the cottage. Renesmee luxuriated in the sun's growing warmth. It shone weakly, but promised to only increase in intensity. Alice was never wrong about the weather. It would keep the vampires home today, and she would have some privacy.<p>

A warm ray glinted off a set of keys. _The Ferrari!_ Renesmee hopped out of bed and grabbed up the keys. They hung from a metal ring attached to a golden tag that read, _BITCH_, spelled out in cursive. Renesmee rubbed her fingers over the word and tried to absorb some of her aunt's tenacity.

She opened her closet. Alice kept both Renesmee's closets well stocked, here and at the cottage. She rifled through the blouses. She needed a power color. She chose a scarlet blouse, slipped it on and buttoned it up. The princess neckline laid perfectly against her chest. The cuffs buttoned at her wrists, and a balloon of free flowing lace extended beyond them and ended halfway down her fingers. She checked her reflection in the three-way mirror. It looked like something a witch would wear. _Nothing more powerful than that,_ she thought. The fit was impeccable and the cut flattering, Alice was never wrong about fashion either, but it made her heart drop. It reminded her of the red sweater she'd worn that night at the bowling alley. It may be a while before she could wear red again. She dove back into the closet.

She selected a black knit blouse with cap sleeves. It would look good against the red convertible. She stepped into a pair of light blue jeans with black flowers embroidered on all the pockets, front and back. She pulled on a pair of ankle high black leather boots with silver buckles. A matching belt and silver jewelry pulled the outfit together.

Her hair had been damp when she'd fallen asleep last night. Jacob had stayed late. The effect, as she brushed through it, was added fullness. She dabbed on a touch of mauve lipstick and a couple of strokes of black mascara and examined herself. She looked strong. She looked like someone you wouldn't want to mess with. Well she liked to think so anyway.

She bounced down the stairs and into the kitchen. Four vampires and Jacob greeted her.

"Good morning Mom and Dad," she said.

"Morning, Monster," Emmett said.

Rosalie kissed her on the forehead.

"You look ready for battle. You got the keys?"

"What keys?" Edward and Jacob said together.

"To the Ferrari," Rosalie answered them, "she needs backup."

"I thought I was driving you to school today," Jacob said.

"Jacob, that was fine the first day. I really appreciated it, but you can't drive me every day."

Jacob's face fell. Why should he care? He had tweaked her nose when he should have been declaring his love for her. He played with her like a child all through the movie last night, eventually dumping a bowl of popcorn on her head. That's why she had to wash it so late, to get the dreadful smell out. Of course, it meant she was going to have a great hair day, but still. She would always be a little girl to him.

"Ferrari?" Edward said and lifted his eyebrow.

"Yes, Edward, the Ferrari. There's no reason she shouldn't go in style," Rosalie said.

"There is a very good reason why she shouldn't go in style. It's conspicuous," Edward said.

"Of course it's conspicuous. It wouldn't work otherwise," she said.

"Work? Work for what?" Bella asked.

"Look, she's having trouble with some girls at school. This will settle the score."

"It will draw attention," Bella said.

"That ship has sailed. We are in full out battle mode now, and risk is part of it," Rosalie said.

"Rosalie, you're the one that hates moving. Why would you chance it?" Edward asked.

"Because I don't really believe it's that big a risk. We didn't like to draw attention to ourselves because we looked different. Renesmee looks absolutely human. It's okay if she draws stares. And I'm not having her be bested by an arrogant little bunch of bitches. She will rule them."

"Renesmee, why do you even care about these girls? It shouldn't matter to you. It never did to me," Bella said.

"Your mother's right. You shouldn't get so involved in their world," Edward said.

"Isn't that a double standard, Dad?"

"Your mother was an extraordinary exception. I fought very hard against it. It's one battle I'm grateful I lost, but I didn't enter into it lightly."

"Oh, I'm not talking about Mom. I'm talking about Angela."

"What does she mean, Edward?" Bella asked.

"I don't know."

"I'm talking about the fact that Angela and Ben are a couple because of your interference," Renesmee explained.

Edward growled at Emmett.

"What? You never said it was a secret," Emmett said.

"What does she mean, Edward?' Bella asked.

Edward rubbed his face and ran his fingers through his hair.

"It was silly. I just pushed them a little."

"Pushed them?" Bella asked.

"Yes. Look, I had to listen to all those girls' minds and what they were thinking about you. Jessica's mind was the worst. She was always fantasizing about me, and she thought terrible things about you. I was miserable. I couldn't hear your thoughts, so I had to watch you through the minds of those horrible girls."

"Did you ever consider not watching me?" Bella asked.

"No. Angela was different. Her thoughts were quiet, and kind, and . . . _clean_. She honestly liked you. I felt grateful and wanted to return the favor. I knew she was quite fond of Ben, and he felt the same. They were both genuinely nice people. Ben wanted to ask her out but held back for stupid reasons."

"What held him back?" Bella asked.

"Angela was quite a bit taller than him. Ridiculous isn't it?"

"Tell her what you did next, Dad."

"Emmett and I staged a conversation for him to overhear."

"Yeah, Edward acted all hot for Angela," Emmett interjected.

"What?" Bella asked.

"To make him jealous, Love. I thought if he perceived some competition, he would find the courage to ask her out.

"Oh Edward, that's so sweet," Bella said and stroked his check.

"And it worked too," Renesmee said, "They are getting married this year. I'd call that getting involved."

"One instance, Renesmee. The exception proves the rule."

"Dad, you saw how their minds work. They are thinking all of those snarky thoughts about me now."

"Edward, I didn't want her to go to school. You and Bella overrode me," Rosalie said.

Bella opened her mouth. Rosalie raised a palm to silence her.

"You had every right. I know that. You are the parents. But I am more than an aunt, or at least I hope you think of me as more," she said and looked at Bella.

Bella nodded her head.

"Of course, Rosalie. If it wasn't for you, I don't know if Renesmee or I would even be here today."

"And as someone with a huge interest in Renesmee's life, I think my opinion should hold some weight. Do you agree?"

"Your opinion does count Rosalie, you know that," Edward said.

"Okay. So we agree. As I was saying, I didn't want her to go to school. But since she's going anyway, I want her to be the best at everything. That includes her social life. I can't sit back and condone our amazing girl being treated as nothing more than average. I can't allow it, Edward. She's better than all of them, and I want them to know that," Rosalie concluded her speech.

_She's got skills_, Renesmee thought.

"I suppose if I say no, you will make me sorry I'm alive or whatever it is I am," Edward said.

"I will make you regret every single day. If you leave, I will follow you. You will never have a moment's peace for the next 100 years," Rosalie promised.

A horselaugh ripped out of Emmett's chest.

"Oh come on Edward. You know you lost this fight before it even started. This is my Rosie's area of expertise."

"Bella, when did we lose all control?" Edward asked.

"We never really had it, Edward."

"True."

Renesmee suppressed a squeal. She had won, but it would be bad form to rub it in.

"Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Mom." She hugged them.

"Can you just put it off for a day? It will be cloudy tomorrow, and I can follow and monitor their thoughts," Edward said.

"No she cannot. I want her to roll in there with the top down, the wind blowing her hair, and the sun shining on her face," Rosalie insisted.

"Is this all settled then?" Renesmee asked.

Jacob had started pacing the kitchen. He clearly was not in agreement, but his mind seemed to be working overtime. Renesmee cringed a bit at whatever plan he might be concocting. She was sure he intended to follow her, but that wasn't going to be a problem. Rosalie had boosted the Ferrari. She smirked at the thought. The idea of leaving him in her dust appealed to her. The gap between them would grow just it had in her in her dream. She realized it was unreasonable to hold a dream against him. Jacob hadn't actually run from her. But she was still irked about the popcorn.

"Not quite," Edward said and fished in his pocket. He held cash in his hand.

"Lunch money," he smirked.

"Dad, I've got my own money," she answered.

"I'm your father. I'm concerned for your nutrition," he said. The smirk stretched into a full blown smile. Bella laughed.

"Since when do we pay for our food, Edward? She can just snatch whoever she wants to eat," Emmett chimed in.

Bella walked to the fridge where Renesmee saw that the school lunch schedule now hung by a magnet. When did they put that there? Her family was insufferable.

"MMMM. Bean tacos today," she announced brightly.

Renesmee's stomach clenched as she remember the greasy lumps of sloppy Joe's sliding down her throat. They had landed in her stomach with a thud. Even though she was capable of digesting human food, her body was much more used to her liquid diet. The scene later that night was quite ugly.

"Oh, I don't know. I kind of liked the sloppy Joes yesterday. I was thinking of making up a nice steaming pot," she said, "I can't wait to let the aroma permeate every molecule of this house."

The vampires wrinkled their noses. But everyone seemed relaxed now, and Renesmee didn't mind being teased for the greater goal. At least everyone had relaxed; except Jacob that was. He didn't like inside vampire jokes anyway, but his mind still appeared to be working hard.

Renesmee grabbed her purse and pulled out the coveted keys. She kissed her family goodbye and headed for the garage.

She softly tugged the Ferrari's door and it glided open. Renesmee sank into the cream leather seata. The leather engulfed and embraced her like a lover.

"Oh yeah," she sighed.

She turned the key. The purr of the car vibrated through her, possessing her. As she sat there, they formed a type of marriage, she and the car, and they became one. She touched a button. The top rolled back smoothly, its motor serenading her as it made its journey. The garage door rolled up its barrier and the sun beckoned her to join it. Renesmee thought she understood why Rosalie and Emmett couldn't keep their hands off each other. This was the most sensual experience she'd ever had. She pulled her Ipod from her purse and connected it to the sound system. A shadow caught her attention.

Jacob stood staring at her. The sun painted a bluish halo on the crown of his sleek black hair. The fiery light coaxed the red tones from his skin. She stared back and parted her lips. He lifted his eyebrows. _Hmmmm, interesting expression_. She slid her sunglasses up her nose with a fingertip. Jacob snapped his head back and forth and hurried to his car. _Then again, what did I expect?" _she thought.

She massaged the gas pedal, and the tires caressed the ground as the car rolled out into the sun. She was at the end of the drive before Jacob got his car into gear. Gravel sprayed as he worked to catch up to her. The Ferrari grasped for the road ahead as it seemed to yearn for more, more, more. She held it back, forcing it to go slower. When Jacob's car popped up in her rearview mirror, she let him catch up. The she gave the Ferrari what it wanted, and she and the car flew ahead. When Jacob's car became but a dot, she tapped her I pod.

Meredith Brook's powerful voice filled the car. She knew her father wouldn't approve, but she absorbed the attitude.

_But you look at me like maybe I'm an angel_

_I know but I can't change, tried to tell you_

Renesmee lifted her voice and tapped the steering wheel along with the song. The wind tossed her hair, and Renesmee smiled when she realized it would look fuller when she got to school.

_I'm a bitch, I'm a lover, I'm a child, I'm a mother_

_I'm a sinner, I'm a saint, I do not feel ashamed._

That was her; a sinner and a saint. Why should she feel ashamed? She was born this way, balancing on two separate worlds, spilling over into both. She wasn't serious when she had told Jacob maybe she was a superhero, but why shouldn't she be? If Superman refused to protect the weak, wouldn't that make him guilty?

_Tomorrow I will change and today won't mean a thing_

Yeah. She'd change again tomorrow. She'd change in the next five minutes. Her opinions used to be solid and sure. Now they changed faster than she could even acknowledge each of them as they flit through her mind. Kind of like a newborn vampire. Maybe she was mentally ill and needed therapy. She smiled at thought.

_Therapist: So what did you do last night, Renesmee?_

_Renesmee: I sucked two deer dry of blood and then went to hang out with my werewolf._

_Therapist: How did that make you feel?_

_Renesmee: Normal. I used to feel normal all the time._

Well, as Jacob would say, this is just the way it is. She didn't know the answers, and there was no guidebook. That's one book that maybe she should write: _How to Talk to Your Vampire-Human Kids So They Will Listen._

She caught wolf scent in the air. Leah and Seth were probably already manning (wolfing?) their posts. But her father couldn't get close enough to read her mind. The sun would keep him away. She realized she had never felt freer.

_I'm your hell, I'm your dream. I'm nothing in between._

Poor Jacob. That was exactly what she was to him. His hell and his dream. But it wasn't his choice. His genes did that to him. Even if he did ever look at her differently, would it be sincere? If genes dictate his emotions, how could she ever know his authentic self? Hell her authentic self was all over the place lately, exposed and unpleasant. It really wasn't fair.

_You know you wouldn't want it any other way_

Heads turned as she hummed into the school parking lot. Girls' mouths gaped. Even Morgan's although her stunned expression was accompanied by her patented glare. The boys appeared helpless against the force that pulled them in her direction. Renesmee swept out of the car and tossed her hair for good measure. The gesture had the desired effect as she heard a collective gasp. Jared turned to her trancelike even though Ashley took two swipes at his arm, trying pull him back. Tommy was affected too, but he was shoved aside by the boy with the huge feet. Renesmee frowned.

She pushed her sunglasses up into her hair, resting them on top of her head. She understood that Rosalie had given her plenty of capital to share. She smiled at Tommy and approached him.

"Tommy, would you walk me to my locker?" she asked and held out her book bag.

He remained speechless, but enthusiastically accepted the bag. She looked into his goo, goo eyes and wondered if this was a mistake. She would have to have an honest talk with him later. She liked him but only as a friend. But for now, let him revel in it. As they reached the school doors, a wolf growled beneath the hearing range of the students. Renesmee smirked.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen: ****Easily Impressed**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>* Stephenie Meyer owns all original characters and orginals stories.<strong>

* * *

><p>When Renesmee and Tommy reached her locker, Sunita was gathering her books. She was alone.<p>

"Thanks, Tommy," Renesmee said, taking her book bag from him.

"See you in class," he said, and blushed a bit before turning away.

"Good morning, Sunita."

"Hello."

Renesmee noticed that the tall boy was not at her locker with her. What had been his name? She thought she remembered Sunita calling him Boyd once.

"Where's Boyd?"

"I don't know," she said and slammed her locker. _Was she mad at Boyd for not showing up? Maybe she had hit a nerve._ Renesmee wanted to ask her more, but a crowd of boys surrounded her locker commenting on her car. Sunita slipped away.

She was already seated in class when Renesmee entered. She sat next to her. Mr. Newton had not yet arrived.

"Suita, I'm sorry if I made you mad by asking about your boyfriend," Renesmee said.

Sunita clenched her fists and drew her shoulders up.

"He's not my boyfriend," she said.

"Oh, I mean, I thought . . ."

Sunita looked away, and Renesmee sensed that this conversation was off limits for the moment. Sunita opened a book and buried herself in it.

Thirty seconds after the bell to start class, Mr. Newton rushed in, dropping papers in his wake. Day-old stubble coated his chin. _Rugged._ He took a few minutes to gather the dropped papers and shuffle through them.

"Good morning," he said to the class.

The class muttered a response, but Renesmee's "Good morning" rang out brightly. Residual thoughts of Jacob dissipated from her brain. Mr. Newton was the opposite of Jacob. Like an old fashioned film negative. He was blonde and fair, where Jacob was dark, with black hair. He had blue eyes were Jacob had brown. Renesmee looked at the scrubby whiskers on Mr. Newton's face and thought about how Jacob grew very little facial hair.

"From your reading yesterday, can anyone explain punctuated equilibrium?" Mr. Newton asked.

The class just sat there. Renesmee looked around and saw the students looking around uncomfortably. She raised her hand.

"Yes, Renesmee," he called on her.

"Punctuated equilibrium is accelerated speciation that occurs when new environmental niche's become accessible."

Mr. Newton looked at his notes.

"That looks right," he said, "what else?"

"Well, it's like if an amphibian develops a hard eggshell and no longer has to lay eggs in the water. Individuals can spend their lives on land and venture further inland for food. So suddenly trees become sources for food, and they will evolve to utilize them, or bushes, or open fields. Or,"

"That's very good Renesmee. Why don't you come to the front of the class and tell us more," Mr. Newton interrupted. He extended his hand with a black marker in it.

Renesmee rose and took the marker from him. She walked up to the dry erase board and continued her explanation, supplementing it with diagrams. Mr. Newton sat at his desk and stared out the window. Renesmee reached the end of the impromptu presentation, and a silence fell over the room.

"Uhm, Mr. Newton, that's all I got," she said.

"Oh. Very good. You can sit down."

Renesmee capped the marker and set it on the ledge. She floated to her seat. _Was this common? Letting a student cover a section? He must think I'm special. _She sat down.

"Can someone explain gene flow?"

_Or maybe not._

No one raised their hand. Renesmee wanted to raise hers, but she felt uncomfortable.

"Has anyone read the chapter," Mr. Newton asked.

Students looked everywhere except at him. Sunita just looked down at her book.

"Well okay then. It's only the second day of school. I guess it takes a few days to get back into the swing of things. Take the rest of the class to read. We can continue the lecture tomorrow."

Mr. Newton sat down and pulled out his phone. The class followed suit, and the room was filled soft clicks and the muted laughs of private conversations. Renesmee pulled her phone out and caught Sunita's eye. Sunita hesitated but pulled out her phone. They bumped hands transferring their numbers into each other's phones. Renesmee wanted to ask her more about Boyd. _He's not her boyfriend? Then what's going on? _She considered the way that Sunita had shut down when she mentioned Boyd, and decided to start with something more neutral. She tapped into her phone.

**Did you read the chapter?**

**Yes, **Sunita responded.

"**Why didn't you answer?**

**I was afraid he would make me teach the class too.**

_Teach the class? Was that what I was doing?_ Warmth flooded through Renesmee's veins. Mr. Newton had trusted her to teach the class. They were like partners. She looked at him. He shook his head, and with a rakish smile he tapped into his phone. He was so cute. Her curiosity again peaked as she wondered what made him smile that way. She turned back to Sunita.

Renesmee knew she probably shouldn't push the subject, but she wanted to know.

**Did it bother you when I asked where Boyd was? **

Sunita jabbed the keys with angry fingers.

**Maybe he is with his probation officer. Or he is ditching with Speed Bump.**

**? Speed Bump?**

**Lilah got mad at Jeremy last year and ran his foot over with her car in the parking lot. The name stuck.**

Another text alert from Emmett surprised Renesmee.

**Did u read my poem?**

From Sunita: **Maybe he had a wreck and is bleeding to death at the side of the road!**

To Emmett: **Em, humans are scary. This girl is fantasizing that her boyfriend is bleeding to death at the side of the road.**

From Emmett: **Yummy! That's one of my fantasies too!**

To Sunita: **You don't seem to like him much.**

From Sunita: **I. HATE. HIM!**

From Emmett: **Does she know where he might be bleeding?**

Sunita threw her phone back into her purse. A text alert from Jasper came through.

From Jasper: **How are you feeling? Everything calm?**

To Jasper: **Nobody is bleeding . . .yet.**

Rosalie's name lit up on her screen.

From Rosalie: **So do you own the school?**

Before she could answer, an incoming text from Seth popped up.

From Seth: **Do you know where Jake is?**

To Seth: **Probably patrolling the school and stalking me. You're supposed to be with him, I'm sure.**

From Seth: **He hasn't phased.**

To Seth: **Well he's a big wolf now. I'm sure he'll be fine.**

To Rosalie: **I don't know yet. Tell you more at lunch.**

Her Father's name popped up.

From Edward: **Are you behaving?**

To Edward: **If I am living, I am behaving. *eye roll***

From Edward: **Are you behaving WELL?**

To Edward: **No, Dad, I've slaughtered half the school and getting ready for round two.**

From Rosalie: **Well don't go too hard on the kids.**

To Rosalie: **What? Is Jasper near you?**

From Rosalie: **Yeah, he just . . . shit. I'm gonna kick his ass. You eat them alive, Renesmee! -Metaphorically that is.**

From Edward: **Not funny.**

To Edward: **Made **_**me**_** laugh.**

Alice jumped into the fray.

From Alice: **There is going to be a surprise sale at Beechman's. Wanna go? They don't know it yet, but this will be their first annual Fall Surprise sale. Only it won't be a surprise after this year.**

To Alice: **Since when do you care about sales?**

From Alice: **Clothes bought on sale always look better. It's the principal of the thing.**

To Alice: **I'll let you know. First I have to make sure I can make it through the day without an assault and battery charge.**

From Emmett: **So where is the bleeding guy?**

From Seth: **Let me know if you see Jacob. I'm gonna phase back.**

To Seth: **And how will I tell you? Are you gonna strap your phone to your collar?**

Renesmee sent a group text.

To Everyone: **Class is about to let out. I gotta go.**

From Emmett: **Read the poem!**

From Seth: **I don't wear a collar! **

From Edward: **Love you.**

Renesmee closed her phone and slid it in her purse. The vampires were much less annoying when they had been able to skulk outside the school.

Sunita grabbed her books and stormed out of the room. Renesmee gathered her books and headed to Mr. Newton's desk to say goodbye. A petite brunette beat her to it.

"Hey Mike, I mean Mr. Newton," she said.

"Hey Tonya, how is your sister?" he asked.

"Jessica is coming home to visit for a week," she said.

"Really? When?"

"In two weeks. She found a new job and is taking a little vacation before starting it. She said she'll tell you the details on Facebook."

"But she unfriended me."

"She said to tell you that you can friend her again, if you want."

Mike grabbed his phone, and his fingers flew over the screen."

"Done," he said.

"She'll like that. See ya tomorrow."

The girl bounced out of the room. _Jessica? THE Jessica? The one who used to think mean things about my mother and lust after my father?_

"Mr. Newton," Renesmee said.

"Hi, Renesmee."

"I hope I did okay."

Mr. Newton looked at her with a question on his face.

"I mean explaining punctuated equilibrium."

"Oh yeah. Yes, you did great. We'll have to do it that way again."

"Thanks Mr. Newton."

_He wants me to it again. He really must trust me. I should prepare a presentation for tomorrow. We are good together._

"See you tomorrow, Renesmee," he said.

Nate stood at the door waiting for Renesmee. Maybe she should have hit him harder. The swelling on his nose had gone down, but he had a slight shadow under his left eye.

"That's one bad ass car," he said and tried to take her books. She held them tighter.

"It's okay. Really, everyone is making a huge deal out of it. I drove it in Chicago all the time, and no one seemed impressed," Renesmee lied.

"Maybe we appreciate you more here."

"What exactly do you appreciate about me?

Nate scratched his head.

"Well, you're pretty, and you have a nice car," he said.

"Yeah, those sound like perfect qualities for a lasting friendship," Renesmee rolled her eyes.

"Hey, that's not all. You're nice too."

"When have I been nice to you?"

"You haven't given me a chance yet," he said.

"Then I haven't been nice at all," Renesmee said.

Renesmee saw confusion in his face. He had no idea what she was talking about. She was pretty, had a nice car, had never been nice to him, but the first two things held all the power.

"Well, I'd like to give _you_ a chance. I mean you're the new girl, and it's my duty to help you fit in."

"I didn't ask for your help."

"I know, but that shouldn't stop me. Look, I know that maybe I haven't made the best impression with you, but I still think we could get along. Would you come to Homecoming with me?"

"And you are asking me this so that you can be helpful? Like you're doing me a favor?"

"Yeah, kind of. I mean, no, I'd enjoy it too. I'm asking because it would make me happy too."

"Ask Morgan. She'll say yes," Renesmee said, and left him at the English room door.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen: Plots, Mops and Tacos**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Copyright for the original story and characters belongs to Stephenie Meyer.<strong>

* * *

><p>By lunchtime, Renesmee had grown wary of the attention. What was it she wanted again? To win? If that were true, she would have accepted Nate's invitation to the dance. That would have been the deciding move for sure. But she had lost interest in the game. Renesmee liked winning. She and Jacob turned everything into a competition. She didn't always win because he was a worthy opponent. She had never hesitated to take the winning shot. But with Morgan, she felt more like she was a cat playing with a mouse, aggravating her and riling her up. It wasn't nearly as fun as she thought it would be. It wasn't worth all the insincere attention.<p>

Then she saw Morgan's face. Familiar resentment tightened her stomach, and she felt like competing again. This made no sense, but something about the girl just irritated some undiscovered aspect of her own personality. Something about the girl begged Renesmee to knock her down a few pegs.

Soon after she spotted Morgan, the football players at the table spotted Renesmee. They beckoned her over. Renesmee looked for Tommy and found him hovering nearby.

"You want to sit with me today, Tommy?" she asked him.

He looked over at the large masses of muscles that occupied the table. Then he looked back at his usual table. Renesmee followed his eyes and saw that Sunita was seated there.

"Oh, Sunita is sitting with your friends," she said.

"Yeah. She always used to sit with us. She was one of the best players on the chess team," he said.

"Was?"

"Yeah. She quit last year after she went out with Boyd. She only sits with us when he's not around now."

"I thought she wasn't dating him."

"No? That would be great, but I think you're wrong. They are always together."

Was that hope that flashed in Tommy's eyes? She watched him watching Sunita. Definitely hope. Maybe that "we're only friends" talk would not be necessary. Renesmee sighed in relief. She didn't want to hurt him for anything.

"That would be great?" she repeated back to him.

Tommy blushed deeper than Renesmee had ever seen. _Good._

"I mean," he started.

"It's okay. I understand. Maybe you should go sit with her," Renesmee smiled.

"You don't mind?"

"Of course not."

"You can come too," he offered.

"Renesmee!" a male voice bellowed from Morgan's table.

Renesmee really wanted to join Tommy's table, but that undefined something in her psyche urged her to Morgan's table. She knew her Aunt Rosalie would choose it.

"Maybe tomorrow, Tommy. Go eat with your friends. I'll see you in gym."

Renesmee dropped her tray, which held her bean burritos, onto the table. The move was a mistake, because it stirred the air and sent a whiff of the disgusting contents straight into her nose. She cringed. How was she going to swallow even one bite of the mess?

"Hey Renesmee," big shoes said, "come sit here." He patted the seat next to him. It was the only open spot, but it would put her right in the middle of the football team and separate her from the other females at the table. That didn't feel right. So she approached Jared and asked him to scoot down into the empty seat. Ashley immediately followed him, opening the seat between her and Morgan. Morgan looked exceedingly unhappy.

"Hi Morgan," Renesmee said.

Morgan just nodded.

"So Morgan, have you decided who you're going to Homecoming with?" one of the Tracies asked.

"I'm going with Nate," she said and smiled at Nate. He nodded and avoided Renesmee's eye.

How simple it would be for Renesmee to announce that she had turned Nate down. It would mean that Morgan had simply got her cast off. The revelation would win the game. The Tracies tittered. Morgan's face softened. Her aunt would do it. But she decided that it meant a great deal more to Morgan than it meant to her. It wasn't fair to crush her just so Renesmee could gloat for a few seconds. Rose would be disappointed.

So she sat flinching as an incessant volley of questions about her car were hurled at her. She'd had enough.

"Look guys, it's a car. Just a car. "

"It's a Ferrari!" Jared said, as though that changed everything.

"Okay. It's a Ferrari, just a Ferrari. I really don't want to talk about it anymore."

The table went silent for a moment.

"Hey, there's the coach," Nate announced.

The football players hopped up and jogged over to the coach. They fawned over him like he was some kind of celebrity. Renesmee shook her head, secretly grateful for the shiny ball that had distracted their attention, and her teeth worked the glob in her mouth. Sloppy Joe's had been unpleasant. Bean burritos were unbearable. She swallowed and the lump caught in her throat. She grabbed her iced tea and tried to work it down. When it finally sloshed downward, her stomach protested. Most of the girls at the table picked at fresh salads. She would have to try one of those tomorrow. Anything had to be better than what the cafeteria staff actually tried to cook.

"Holy Mop Boy, Batman!" One of the Tracies said.

The other Tracey licked her finger and touched the air making a sizzling sound.

"Look at those abs," she said.

Ashley turned to look behind her.

"Whoa. Who's the hot new janitor?"

Even Morgan shot a lustful look.

Renesmee tilted her shoulders and her head followed. She located the new janitor, who stood in a black t-shirt with a hundred keys dangling from the waist of his jeans. He towered over the students, and leaned casually against a post. He caught Renesmee's eye and flashed a brilliant smile. Jacob.

"He can mop my floor anytime," muttered one of the Tracies.

_Disgusting._

Renesmee spun back to the table. She clenched her fists.

"He looks like a stalker to me," she said.

"Oh, is that the way you see it?" Morgan asked, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.

"He can stalk me," said a Tracy.

"Well, let's just hope the school did a background check on him," Renesmee didn't back down.

This must have been the plot he was working on in the kitchen this morning. His brain had been working overtime, and Renesmee had expected to see smoke blowing out his ears. She grabbed her phone, and sent a text.

To Seth: **I found your fearless leader. I didn't know wolves were allowed in the school.**

She waited a few minutes and concluded that Seth was unavailable. She looked back at Jacob. He smirked. He couldn't have done this without Cullen help. He would have needed paperwork and references. Damn, Jenks was good. She now understood her father's relative calm this morning. He couldn't be here, but he knew Jacob would be nice and close.

Renesmee blocked out the lusty comments from the girls at the table. Honestly how silly humans were, going gaga over some strange man they hadn't even heard speak. Besides, their comments rankled. They didn't even know him! And he was hers. No, he wasn't hers. She had let him go. Still she hadn't anticipated this.

Renesmee piled her uneaten slop onto her tray and headed toward the trash receptacles. Jacob met her eye, and he looked smug. Never breaking eye contact, she tilted her tray and missed the bin. Beans spattered on the floor and her iced tea bottle shattered, spraying its contents in a wide crescent. A lunch aide rushed over.

"I'm sorry," Renesmee said, but still held Jacobs eyes. He shook his head imperceptibly.

"That's okay dear," the grandmotherly aide said, "be careful of the glass."

The aide motioned to Jacob.

"We need some help over here," she said.

Jacob plopped a mop into a bucket and using it as a handle, rolled the bucket over.

"Brat," he said, low enough that no human could have heard him.

"Jerk," Renesmee responded at the same volume.

Renesmee stormed out of the cafeteria.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen: ****Oops, Oops, Oops**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

***Copyright for the original story and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**** You will find the words to a nursery rhyme in this chapter. I'd never heard it before, and simply searched for something appropriate. I'm not sure if it is a classic, with no author, or if it is more modern. Because of this, I'd like to let you know I got it from a site called —to give credit. This is a site for a preschool in India.**

Jacob's phone buzzed with an incoming text.

From Renesmee: **I will make your life a living hell.**

To Renesmee: **Yeah, like you haven't been doing that all along.**

From Renesmee: **Just leave me alone if I make you so miserable!**

To Renesmee: **My genes have spoken.**

From Renesmee: **Yeah, blame the genes Jacob. Nice out.**

Was it an out? Was this really only his genes? Jacob didn't know where his genes ended and self-determination began. He decided it was definitely genes, because he could not see himself as a masochist!

From Renesmee: **I know my family is in on this. No way you could have passed a background check!**

Yeah, the Cullens made it all possible. Edward had thought it up and called Jenks. It still didn't leave enough time to get everything in order, but one call from the respected Dr. Carlisle Cullen had secured his position overnight.

From Renesmee: **BTW-cleanup in the girls' locker room.**

Just as Jacob finished reading the text, his radio crackled to life.

_Jacob, cleanup in the girls' locker room._

Yeah, she would make his life miserable. He sighed and pushed the supply cart along the halls. He stood outside the locker room door. This was the girls' locker room! Old taboos played on his conscience. He wasn't allowed in there. It was a place of secrets and mystery. Plus, how could he be sure it was vacant? Class had started so all the girls should be in gym, but there was always a straggler or two. He cracked the door but looked away from the opening.

"Hello?" he called inside.

Silence. It was empty. Or was it? He couldn't bring himself to walk in. Maybe the mess wasn't that bad. No. This wasn't a normal girlie mess. This was a Renesmee mess. A monster mess. It would be thorough. He looked for help and found it in a pretty petite woman with dark curly hair walking his way. She looked familiar, but Jacob couldn't place her. Maybe she was a student teacher, but more importantly, she was female.

"Excuse me," Jacob called to her.

The woman's blue eyes raked up and down his body. He suddenly felt underdressed.

"What can I do for you?" she asked. Was there double meaning in that?

"Yeah, uhm, thanks. I have to get in here, but I need to know it's empty. Could you check it out for me?"

"Anything for you," she said. Yep, double meaning.

She slipped into the locker room and emerged a few moments later. She stood uncomfortably close to him.

"Safe as houses," she said and stood there looking at him. She was close enough to warm the air between them. Jacob shifted away from her.

"Uhm, yeah, thanks."

"Anytime. I'm Jessica by the way," she said and sashayed down the hall.

Jacob watched her retreat, and then he remembered her. She had been at Bella's graduation party, and maybe he had seen her at La Push. Jacob pushed his cart into the forbidden place. It didn't look like a locker room. Where were the discarded jocks and the smells of sweat? The piles of towels? Well okay, he understood the lack of jocks, but the mixture of fragrances, spices and flowers, clearly didn't belong.

He didn't see any evident destruction. He was a little disappointed in Renesmee. That is, until he pushed open the restroom door. The contents of a liquid soap dispenser curled across the floor and looped into the stalls ending its course along the outside of the sink. Jacob nudged open a stall door to see the damage inside. His peripheral vision caught a small metal trash can overturned. NO! He refused to look at the contents spilled on the floor.

He wasn't stupid when it came to female things. God knows hearing Leah's thoughts had given him many hours of discomfort. He knew more than he ever wanted to know. But this was just monstrous. He grabbed a broom, and without ever directly looking at the mess, he scooped it into a dust pan and dumped it into the large trash bin. Then he covered it with a bunch of paper towels. His life was crap.

Jacob rang out his mop and plopped it into the spilled soap. It bubbled up and grew under his efforts. He rinsed the mop and started again. The slippery mess responded with more and more suds. Jacob dragged the mop, and the foam followed and increased. He worked faster, but the soap took on a life of its own and swelled under his efforts. Soon his bucket was frothy, and he was only smearing the foamy mess. He put up a wet floor cone and wheeled his bucket to a janitor's closet to get fresh water. He came back and whipped up more suds. Class change was in fifteen minutes, and he wasn't getting closer to his goal.

He grabbed a pack of paper towels, and sopped up the mess. Then he realized his mistake had been applying water. He wiped up the glistening soap that he hadn't yet fed like a gremlin after midnight. Things went much faster after that. Who would have thought that mopping a floor took so much skill? When he was finished, he was sure the bathroom was cleaner than it had been in years. The liquid soap left a fruity fragrance in the air. He stepped outside the locker room just in time to see a gang of girls burst out of the gym and head his way. Renesmee caught his eye and smirked.

She was singing a childish tune.

_Fill the pipe_

_Gently blow;_

_Now you'll see_

_The bubbles grow._

_Strong at first,_

_Then they burst. _

_Oops! Oops! Oops._

A skinny blonde girl next to her laughed and joined in. Soon a pudgy girl added her voice to the round. Renesmee lifted her voice and weaved a sweet harmony around the others, changing the childlike song into something worthy to be backed by an orchestra. Jacob knew the other girls probably had no idea about the spilled soap. They unknowingly mocked him. He shook his head as he passed the singing group.

_Oops! Oops! Oops!_

He muttered below human hearing, "Juvenile".

"Stalker," Renesmee shot back.

Then he heard the blonde girl say, "The new janitor is cute."

"Sure if you like bad haircuts. It looks like he uses rusty shears," Renesmee responded.

So maybe he was a stalker, but it couldn't be helped. Besides, she should be used to that by now. Isn't that practically the definition of a vampire? Stalker? And the shears hadn't been rusty. Jacob ran a hand through his hair.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty: ****Thinking It Through**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Copyright for the original plot and characters belongs to Stephenie Meyer. The rest comes from my twisted brain.<strong>

* * *

><p>Renesmee heard her before she saw her. As she left her last class and headed to her locker, a shrill female giggle assaulted her ears. Who was making that awful sound? Then she heard Mr. Newton's responding chuckle.<p>

"Jessica! Your sister told me this morning you wouldn't be back for two weeks," Mr. Newton said.

"I know. I wanted to surprise everyone," Jessica giggled.

Jessica? Here? Today? Renesmee walked faster until they came into view.

"Well it certainly is a pleasant surprise," he said.

"I know. Right?"

Well isn't she just full of herself?

"So Mike, if you're not busy tonight, would you like to drop over? The family is cooking a big dinner, in honor of, well me."

Arrogant much? Wait, Mr. Newton was going to go to her house? Renesmee's eyes scanned the ceiling. Chains suspended a large poster announcing the upcoming Homecoming dance. It didn't look properly secured, someone should tell the janitor about that. Just one tiny nudge and the sign would tumble down—and land on Jessica.

"Maybe we could go to a movie afterward," Mr. Newton said.

Renesmee gaged how hard she would have to hit the chain to drop the sign.

_You promised to think it through_

_I am thinking it through. If I pretend to slip, I could let my book fly into the chain. It would work and it would look like an accident!_

_Thinking through the strategy may be violating the spirit of your promise._

_No one would know._

_Your father would know._

Jessica's voice interrupted Renesmee's internal debate.

"Oh that would be great. I've been wanting to see _Water for Elephants._ I heard Rob Pattinson is great in that. I didn't like him in the other movies though. I mean what could he have seen in a girl so unchangeably average?"

"What? Who are you talking about?" Mr. Newton's face betrayed his absolute cluelessness over Jessica's little rant.

"Oh, nobody. A movie sounds great."

"It's a date then," Mr. Newton said.

A date! Just a tiny nudge. Miniscule.

_You promised._

Renesmee stormed to her locker. What a pushy woman that Jessica was. It was so obvious that Mr. Newton was just being nice to her.

When she walked outside, a group of boys congregated around her car. She spotted Tommy walking toward the school buses.

"Tommy," she yelled. He turned.

"You want a ride?"

All of the boys turned to stare at Tommy. He blushed.

"Sure, Renesmee!" He trotted toward her stumbling on his own feet a couple of times. Renesmee stiffened, waiting for jeers from the crowd around her car. They just stared. He caught up to Renesmee, and they approached the crowd together. Renesmee heard one voice mutter "Way to go, Tommy." A hand reached out and clapped him on the back. Renesmee waited for the impact to knock her friend forward, but Tommy just glowed. It had been a friendly gesture. Renesmee turned the key.

_I'm a bitch, g_lared from her speakers. Had she left her Ipod on all day? Renesmee turned it off. Partly because it no longer matched her attitude, and partly because, while the lyrics were fun when she was alone, they were a bit embarrassing with her friend in the car.

"So, Tommy, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you like Sunita?"

His ears caught fire. _Damn_, Renesmee thought. Living with a telepath, a psychic and an empath really never taught her how to be subtle. By the time most thoughts were voiced, half the room knew what was coming. She'd have to work on that.

"Uhm,"

"I'm sorry, Tommy. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

Renesmee reached the road, and the roar of the wind didn't allow for any more conversation until Renesmee pulled into Tommy's driveway.

"Thanks for the ride," he said.

"Hey, Tommy, would you like to come over tonight? I don't have any friends here yet, and there is nobody to hang with and have pizza with since I left Chicago.'

Tommy hesitated. He looked uncomfortable.

"I mean, just as friends, Tommy. I'm getting a little bored and miss the gang back in Chicago."

"It's not that. My parents don't let me leave the house on a school night until I'm finished with my homework. Then I have a nine o'clock curfew."

_Is that what he's embarrassed about?_

"Of course. That's how it is for me too. Parents!" She rolled her eyes.

He chuckled and relaxed. _Why did the most normal things make him embarrassed?_

"So when will your homework be done?"

"I'll probably be finished before 6:00."

"Perfect. Can you come over around then? I'm sure it won't take longer than three hours to eat pizza."

"Sure," he said and beamed at her.

"What do you like on your pizza?"

"I'll have whatever you order."

"That's not what I asked."

Emboldened by this, Tommy said,

"Mushrooms. I like mushrooms, but I hate pineapple."

"I'll text you my address," Renesmee said and slipped her car into gear. Tommy stood staring in her rearview mirror.

When Renesmee reached the Cullen house, she could hear organ music playing a gothic melody and morphing into a driving rock-n-roll tune. Emmett guffawed. Renesmee pushed open the door.

"Check it out Emoward. You weren't the first angsty vampire to fall in love with a human," Emmett said.

Bella and Edward stared into each other's eyes with small smiles on their faces. Alice tittered and Jasper smirked. When the petite blonde on the screen rammed a wooden stake through a vampire's heart, turning him into a cloud of dust, they all roared with laughter.

"I don't understand what she sees in the miserable guy," Rosalie flashed a teasing look at Edward, "I'd go for that blonde Spike guy. All the fun, none of the guilt."

"Hey! I'm not blonde!" Emmett protested.

"I know," Rosalie smirked at him.

In a dizzying flash, Emmett threw Rosalie to the floor and straddled her.

"Take it back!"

"I stand by my comment," she said and thrust him into the air with a soft motion of her hips.

"You know, Emmett, I can bleach your hair if you like," Alice offered.

Emmett pointed a finger at Alice and shook his head no, but before he spoke, he saw Rosalie's eyes simmering at him.

"Maybe," he said.

Jasper ran his hands through is hair.

"Some of us just got it that way," he said puffing out his chest.

"Indeed," Alice said and her hands replaced Jasper's in his hair.

On the screen, a gang of kids marched through a cemetery. A vampire jumped out causing the boy in the gang to yelp. The Cullens burst into laughter.

"This isn't supposed to be a comedy," Renesmee announced.

How could she expose Tommy to this family of hers?

"How was school?" Edward asked.

_Like you don't already know. _

"I do," Edward said, "I was asking on behalf of everyone else."

"I've invited a friend over for pizza, and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't eat him."

Renesmee looked at Jasper's eyes. They were butterscotch. At least he wasn't thirsty. She sized up his posture and it hadn't stiffened much. She looked at her father and found he was taking a similar inventory of Jasper's mind. He met Renesmee's eye and gave her a small nod. So Jasper was in a good place.

"Him?" Rosalie asked.

"Yes, him. Tommy. He's just a friend. Actually he likes another girl at school, and I think they are great match."

"Do you think you could take him to the cottage?" Jasper asked. _So he is anxious._

"The cottage isn't set up for humans. We don't even have a refrigerator. It has to be here. It's not like we haven't had humans over plenty of times."

"Sure, humans visit. They just don't always leave," Emmett said. Rosalie rolled her eyes.

A woman's scream erupted from the television. A vampire held her by the neck and pierced her throat with his teeth. The following sounds were delectable. Jasper flitted out the door.

"He'll be fine. He won't come back if he's not," Edward assured everyone. Alice clicked the television off.

"So I can have a friend over?" Renesmee asked.

"Of course," Bella said, "most of the humans do make it out alive."

"Hey Emmett," Edward said and Alice jumped into the air distracting Emmett for a moment. In that instant, Bella lobbed a vase at Emmett's head. The shattered vase sprayed through the air coating Rosalie and Emmett in its sparkling dust. Whoa, her mother rarely got one on Emmett. Of course she had conspirators in Edward and Alice.

"Ha! That's for the Emoward comment!" Bella said and clapped her hands.

Renesmee didn't worry that her family would hurt Tommy. She wouldn't have invited him if she thought there was real risk. However, trying to convince him that they were just another normal human family was going to be much harder.

Emmett brushed glass out of his hair.

"So, whose for dinner?" he asked.

"Mushroom pizza."

All of the vampires grimaced.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**Just a Normal Human Family**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Stephenie Meyer owns all original stories and characters<strong>

* * *

><p>I remembered my first visit to the Cullen house when I was still human. Edward had brought me home to meet his family after he had revealed their true nature to me. The Cullens had done their best to appear human, but I had known their secret. I wondered how we would appear to a human not in-the-know. Of course, my graduation party and wedding had gone well. But there had been a great deal of activity to draw curious eyes away from them.<p>

I watched as the others began fidgeting and blinking unnecessarily. Rosalie even excused herself for an unneeded bathroom break. Alice seemed calm. She didn't see us working on a rushed exodus from Forks in the near future. But her visions couldn't be relied on when it came to Renesmee. There could be factors that she couldn't see.

Jacob often took Renesmee to the Quileute reservation, and nobody raised an eyebrow. Of course, knowingly or unknowingly, the Quileute harbored their own mythological monsters, and so they had a high tolerance for the weird. Charlie sees everything, but true to his word, he strictly adhered to our Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.

Yet Renesmee was excited and happy, and that made me want to make this work for her. She gave us the gift of letting us participate in this part of her life, which was a great deal more than I had given Charlie or Renee. I needed to be grateful for that. After all, I had the love of my life holding me every night for a year in my childhood bed. I understood the subterfuge Renesmee was capable of if she chose.

Jasper had not yet returned when I heard an unfamiliar car approach the house. Renesmee rushed to the door with Edward behind her. Emmett rubbed his belly and smacked his lips. Alice rolled her eyes.

Tommy was skinny and pale underneath his fiery blush. He looked like he wanted to turn away and run, but Renesmee pulled him into the kitchen.

"Tommy, this is my Uncle Edward, who adopted me," she said.

"Hey Tommy, come on in," Edward said and then flashed him a dazzling smile. Tommy blinked a few times. I assumed it was to clear his thoughts. I remember what it was like to be on the receiving end of that smile as a human. Renesmee lead Tommy into the living room.

"This is my uncle's wife, Bella. And this is Emmett, Rosalie and Alice," She continued the introductions. The vampires were in full motion, twitching and shifting. Their motion reminded me to change my position some.

"Hello," Tommy mumbled.

"I'll order the pizza," Edward offered, "what kind?"

"Mushroom," Renesmee said.

Edward smirked at her as he pulled out his cellphone.

"Mmmm, mushroom. Renesmee's favorite. She'll probably eat four slices herself," Edward said as he pushed buttons.

Of all the available human food, Renesmee understood mushrooms the least.

"_They are repulsed by blood, but fungus is no problem,"_ she had huffed after being forced to ingest a few at Charlie's.

"Order that with extra mushrooms!" Emmett shouted.

Renesmee glared at Emmett. He smiled at her.

"You like extra mushrooms don't you, Tommy?" he said.

"Love them," Tommy answered.

Edward hesitated. Emmett insisted.

"He's our guest Edward, and he wants extra mushrooms," Emmett said.

"Extra mushrooms please," Edward said into the phone.

We were a cruel family. I would have to help Renesmee get back at Emmett.

"Make it an extra large," Renesmee said, "Uncle Emmett will eat four slices himself," Renesmee said.

She wouldn't need my help.

"Extra large," Edward finished the order. He glowed at Renesmee and gave Emmett a self-satisfied look. Emmett shrugged.

I heard Jacob's car approach the house. Renesmee looked dismayed. He didn't knock, of course, before he entered the house. He grimaced at Renesmee, who looked down. His eyes settled on Tommy.

"Hey, you guys know the janitor?' Tommy asked.

Emmett and Rosalie laughed.

"Sorry I'm late. _Somebody_ poured red paint into a heating vent in the art room." Jacob glared at Renesmee, and Edward lifted his eyebrow at her.

"Jacob is a family friend," Renesmee told Tommy, not meeting either Jacob's or Edward's eyes.

I sighed. I really wasn't in the mood to dole out another scolding.

"Well, Jacob, I hope they catch the culprit," Edward said and shot another look at Renesmee.

"Probably not. No witnesses, no clues. The work of a mastermind," he said, still glaring at Renesmee.

Edward focused on Renesmee's pinky. I followed his eyes and found a nearly microscopic speck of red paint on Renesmee's nail.

"There are always clues," Edward said.

Renesmee rubbed her nail on her jeans, removing the spot. It left a scar in the polish. Alice caught sight of it from across the room and scowled.

_Great. Will I have to submit to another makeover to spare my daughter?_

I heard a new vehicle turn into the driveway. Edward collected the pizza at the door. The young delivery man smiled wildly when Edward said, "Keep the change." He closed the door.

"Okay kids, pizza's here," he said.

I giggled. Looking at my eternally seventeen-year-old husband paternally announcing the arrival of a dinner he could not partake of, to 'kids' that didn't appear much younger than him was just endearing. Sexy too.

"Emmett," he called, "Pizza's here." Renesmee laughed. Emmett blustered into the kitchen, followed by Rosalie, who didn't look happy.

He grabbed the box and ripped open the lid.

"Yum," he announced and grabbed a piece, folded it lengthwise and shoved it whole into his mouth. He smiled as he chewed. Rose crossed her arms and glared at him.

"Well I'm not going to rub your back and put cold compresses on your head when you puke it up," She warned.

Tommy looked confused as he set a slice on his plate.

"My family is on a special diet. It's what keeps them looking so young, but sometimes they get a little queasy when they go for the greasy carbs," Renesmee said.

My we were raising quite a proficient little liar. Renesmee chose the thinnest slice and set it on a plate. Jacob grabbed two. Alice perched on the edge of a chair but turned down the pizza. Emmett shoved another slice into his mouth, and Rosalie punched him in the arm.

"So Tommy, do you have a girlfriend?" Alice asked.

"Alice!" Renesmee scolded as Tommy's face turned nearly purple.

"What? I'm making small talk."

Tommy looked at Alice, and Jacob took advantage of the moment to grab Renesmee's pizza and bite half of it off. It was back on Renesmee's plate before Tommy looked back.

"Uhm," Tommy said. He ran his hand through his hair and glanced downward so quickly, a human would have missed it. In that instant, Renesmee plucked a mushroom off her pizza and tossed it into the air. Jacob caught it in his mouth.

"Hmmm. You should have a girlfriend. If you are a friend of Renesmee's, then you certainly have great qualities," Alice pushed.

"Alice, leave him alone," Renesmee begged.

"I'm trying to help."

"You're embarrassing him!"

And indeed the blush had spread to stain the tops of his forearms. Tommy glanced down at himself, longer this time, and Jacob grabbed Renesmee's pizza and took another bite, replacing the crust to her plate. Did Renesmee even appreciate that Jacob always took care of her?

"Oh what's to be embarrassed about? The way I see it, the contents are perfectly fine. It's just that packaging that needs to be spruced up!"

_On no! Another victim._

"Come over on Saturday and let me give you a haircut," Alice offered sweetly.

"Alice, leave the boy alone," I begged.

"He's already said yes," she assured us.

"Actually, Alice, he hasn't said anything," Edward said. He shot her a warning look. A thin sheen of sweat broke out on Tommy's forehead as his blush heated him to tropical temperatures.

"I have a _sense_ about these things," Alice said, barely masking the meaning of the word "sense".

"Hey! Then I get him next. Nothing wrong with buffing up the contents a little," Emmett declared, and shoved in another piece of pizza. Rosalie grabbed a fork and twisted it beneath the table. Emmett smiled at her and she crushed it into powder.

Renesmee rested her forehead in her hands.

"I'm so sorry, Tommy. I promise I'm not as weird as my family."

"You haven't met my family," he muttered.

He wasn't running from the house screaming yet. Something told me Tommy had a high tolerance for the weird too.

"What do you say, Tommy?" Alice pushed.

"Uhm. Okay?" he stammered.

Alice clapped and hopped of her chair.

"I have some preparations to make," she said and flew out of the room, at clearly faster than human speed.

"Yes!" Emmett hissed and pumped his fist in the air. Rosalie grabbed another fork and demolished it under the table. Emmett grabbed his stomach and groaned.

"Rosie?" he whined.

Rosalie jumped up from the table and laid a gentle arm around his shoulders.

"Come on baby, I'll put a cold compress on your forehead," she crooned as she led him out of the room.

Tommy took another bite of his pizza. Jacob chomped through his third slice.

Yes, anyone would mistake us for just another normal human family


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two:**

**Just a Regular Kid**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Stephenie Meyer owns all original stories and characters<strong>

* * *

><p>Renesmee stood on the porch and waved at Tommy as he pulled away. She turned back into the house and threw herself into Bella's arms.<p>

"Thanks, Mom," she said. Bella wrapped her arms around her.

She let go of her mother and eased into Edward's arms. He kissed the top of her head.

"Was it a total disaster, Dad?"

"He's looking forward to his makeover," Edward said helpfully.

"What does he think of our family?"

"He's a fan of TV Land. He considered that maybe we were like the Addam's Family for a while. He finally concluded that you were more like Marilyn Munster," Edward chuckled.

"Oh no," Renesmee moaned.

"It's not really that bad. He just thinks you were adopted by some crazy family, but he likes us. His family isn't exactly normal."

"What's his family like?"

"No, Renesmee. He will have to tell you that himself. Don't worry. There are no monsters in _his_ closet."

Renesmee squeezed him tighter.

"Well that's too bad for him then," she said and yawned.

"Since we don't have to pack and flee Forks, I'm going to bed. I've got school in the morning."

She hugged her parents again and made her way to the cottage. She met Jasper on the way.

"I'm sorry I ran you out of the house, Uncle J."

"Don't be a silly girl," he said and kissed her forehead. He sent a wave of calmness and sleepiness washing over her.

"You really should bottle that," she said as she stifled a new yawn.

"You go get some shut-eye."

Within minutes of hitting her bed, Renesmee slipped into a deep and dreamless slumber.

Renesemee picked Tommy up for school in her red convertible the next morning. The day was cloudy so the top was up, and she was sure the school was surrounded by vampires by now. Tommy waited for her at the end of his street. He didn't want his parents to know he wasn't riding the school bus.

"Why don't you drive to school?" she asked him.

"My parents think of driving as a luxury at my age. They think it's more appropriate for me to ride the bus," he answered.

_And my parents think it's appropriate to intrude on your secrets thoughts, emotions and future._

"Parents are weird," she said out loud.

"Agreed."

Renesmee pulled into the school, and all heads popped up. The excitement over her car had dimmed some since yesterday, but the interest was still there. Tommy jumped out and grabbed their book bags. Renesmee thought he looked different, but couldn't place what it was. His hair was the same, and his clothes didn't look new. He stepped over and opened her door. He smiled and his pale skin bunched up under his eyes. That's when Renesmee made the connection. He wasn't blushing.

As they walked toward the school, Renesmee stiffened as she waited for Tommy to be assaulted by taunts. None came. A few voices yelled out, "hey, Tommy," but that was it.

When they reached Renesmee's locker, Sunita was sorting through her locker. Tommy handed Renesmee her book bag and smiled at Sunita.

"How are you," he asked her.

"I am good, Tommy," she smiled.

"We miss you on the chess team. Monica hates being the only girl."

As they chatted, Renesmee scanned the waves of students looking for Boyd.

"I miss all of you too," she said.

"You should drop in for practice after school today. We have an odd number now, and someone always has to sit out. We'd love it if you joined us. I'd love it," Tommy added.

Renesmee looked at him. She looked for the blush. He stood confidently. Sunita looked down shyly.

"Maybe next week, Tommy. I can't stay tonight."

"I'm going to hold you to that," the strange new Tommy said and walked away.

"He's awfully nice," Renesmee said to Sunita after Tommy turned a corner.

"Yeah," Sunita answered with a dreamy look on her face.

The two walked to class together. Mr. Newton hadn't arrived yet when the bell rang.

"I think Tommy likes you," Renesmee offered. That was normal teenage girl stuff, right?

Sunita smiled. Renesmee took that to mean that Sunita also liked Tommy.

"Maybe you two will go to Homecoming together."

Sunita shook her head.

"My parents don't allow me to date. They are very traditional," she said.

"I don't understand?'

"They come from India, and their idea is that I am in school for an education. Boys are supposed to come later."

"How about at a well-chaperoned event?"

"No. They would not want me to become attached to . . . someone they didn't help choose. . ."

Renesmee saw the conversation made Sunita uncomfortable so she changed the subject.

"I wonder where Mr. Newton is," she said.

"Perhaps he could not be bothered with class today. He is a terrible teacher," Sunita said.

"Maybe he just has an unusual teaching technique," Renesmee defended him.

Sunita opened her mouth to respond, but closed it when Mr. Newton entered the classroom. His tie was looped around his collar not yet knotted. Renesmee could still pick up the scent of his shaving cream and saw he had nicked himself several times. His eyes looked tired. Had he been with Jessica late?

"Sorry class. Late night," he said.

Renesmee's stomach fell. He _had _been with Jessica late. She should have dropped that banner on her snippy face yesterday.

"Can anyone summarize chapter two, section five?"

Renesmee raised her hand. She spent the next twenty minutes in front of the class discussing alleles.

When the bell dismissed them, Renesmee couldn't help herself. She had to know.

"I'm sorry you had a late night, Mr. Newton. I hope nothing bad happened," she said.

"Nah. Just a little disagreement with a friend. It happens."

Renesmee rejoiced. Mr. Newton and Jessica had been fighting!

"Well I'm sure you were in the right," she said.

Mr. Newton laughed. She had made him laugh. She floated out the door.

When lunchtime came, Renesmee decided to try the salad bar. The featured lunch was a pasty, greasy concoction glopped over mashed potatoes. She picked through leaves of lettuce and spinach, choosing the least offending pieces. Small bits of green pepper and cherry tomatoes gave it a bit of interest. She looked over the salad dressings. Oil based solutions that glupped out of bottles to coat and weigh down the vegetables. She decided against all of them. Would that seem weird? She was beyond caring. Human food was not growing any more palatable.

She grabbed a bottle of water at the beverage cooler. She had tried lemonade and iced tea in order to fit in. But she had barely swallowed five sips combined. Water was different. It wasn't exactly pleasant, but it was palatable. And she needed water. Unlike her vampire family, she lost fluids through sweat and respiration. She needed to replace it much more frequently than she could hunt. It went down much easier warm, as close to blood temperature as possible, but she would have to deal with it cold. Humans didn't seem to like their water warm.

The football team waved her over to their table. Morgan glared at her. Renesmee saw Tommy and Sunita sitting with friends at a different table. Aunt Rosalie expected her to own the school, and she knew she could only do that by sitting at the right table. She was tired of the game already, and wanted to sit with real friends. She chose the chess club table.

One of the boys saw her approach, and quickly cleared a spot for her, spilling his milk in the process. Renesmee saw it teeter, and she wanted to flash toward it and save it, but that wouldn't have appeared human. So she helplessly watched it flip and embarrass the boy. She sat next to the boy and learned his name was Sebastian. Poor kid, but then, her name was Renesmee. Josh and Monica sat across from her. Sunita sat on her other side, and Tommy sat across from Sunita. Mark sat at the end, reading a book.

The first thing she noticed was the quality of the conversation had changed. Her new group didn't talk about the other students but discussed politics and science. The second thing she noticed, and was infinitely more interesting to her, was that Sunita and Tommy didn't participate in the cross talk. They were in a world all their own and only talked to each other. Renesmee wondered just how traditional Sunita's parents were.

She watched as Sunita opened her cylindrical lunch container. It turns out, it wasn't one container, but several stacked units that fit together. The aromas filled Renesmee's nose, peaking her curiosity. Sunita opened a container of rice, and Renesmee could feel it moist warmness. The container kept her food warm. She opened a second container, and the scent of fragrant spices intensified. The substance was pale and appeared to have chick peas in it. Renesmee stared as she opened a container of fresh yogurt. Another container contained a small dollop of multicolored bits that she was unable to identify.

The mixture of aromas was so exotic, so unlike anything she had ever smelled, so _appealing_ that she felt her mouth water. What? Human food, appetizing?

Sunita noticed her staring. Had she been licking her lips? She hoped not. She looked down at her unadorned salad, and it looked less inviting than ever.

"What is it?" Renesmee asked.

"This is chickpea curry. It is my mother's specialty."

"What is that?" Renesmee asked, motioning to the unidentified mixture.

"We just call it pickle, though there are many kinds. It is kind of like a condiment. This one is quite hot, although not all of them are."

Renesmee continued staring at the food and contemplating how it brought out her appetite nearly as much as blood. It didn't repulse her.

"Would you like to try some?" Sunita asked.

"Yes, very much," Renesmee said, and no one could be more surprised than she.

Renesmee dumped her dry salad onto her tray, and Sunita scooped some rice into the bowl. She topped it with some curry and hesitated over the pickle.

"Perhaps you should just try a tiny bit of this. It is very spicy, and you should get used to it."

She put a dime-sized bit of pickle into the bowl next to the rice and curry. Renesmee watched as Sunita mixed her own rice and curry and followed her example. Sunita took a small bit of pickle and stirred it into a bite sized portion of curry. Renesmee followed suit.

As she pulled the fork to her mouth, the spices permeated her nose and eyes. She placed a bit on her tongue, and just let it sit for a few seconds. The spicy fragrance now tickled her sinuses from the inside and out. She chewed.

She snapped her head up as a small explosion of flavor went off in her mouth. She not only tasted it, but she smelled and felt it too. Her mind worked overtime trying to sort out the complicated flavors. And then . . . hot, hot, hot! She grabbed her water and poured it down her throat. Her eyes watered and her nose felt wet. Sunita chuckled and put some yogurt into her bowl.

"That will work better than water to cool your mouth," she explained.

Renesmee didn't hesitate and shoved the yogurt in her mouth quickly. It was cool and soothing, and soon the fire was reduced to a soft and pleasant burn.

"Do you like it?" Sunita asked.

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

What she did know was that she had a desire to try it again. She mixed some curry with another bite of rice, leaving out the pickle this time. Another explosion, with much less heat. It was growing on her. She experimented with a tiny amount of pickle for her third bite and found the perfect balance between heat and flavor.

"I think I do like it! It's less like eating and more like an adventure," Renesmee declared.

Sunita smiled as Renesmee took the final bite. The food warmed her throat and stomach, and long after it was swallowed, Renesmee was enjoying the taste and fragrance of it.

Delight filled Sunita's face.

"I can bring you a full serving for lunch tomorrow. My mother loves to feed people," she offered. Then she looked shy, "unless you would rather not."

"Oh no. I would love to try more. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced. I promise. I'm not just trying to be nice. Please?"

Renesmee meant it too. Lunch ended, and she dumped her untouched salad from her tray into the bin. Jacob watched her with a puzzled look on his face. He must have witnessed her enthusiasm over the human dish. She considered letting the salad slide to the floor, but he had helped her out by eating the mushroom pizza the night before. She didn't have the heart. She smiled and nodded at him instead. His eyes lit up and he smiled back. Maybe she was finally fitting into this new life she had chosen.

As the day wore on, she had almost thoroughly convinced herself that she was just like any other kid. She was eating human food, going to school, and inviting friends over for pizza. She had mastered it all in three short days. She was quite happy with herself as she exited school that day.

And then she saw Boyd Pierce's car.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three:**

**Don't Handle It Alone**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Stephenie Meyer owns all original stories and characters.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Before you read this chapter, Carlisle wanted a word with you.<strong>

Interest Me: Okay Carlisle, here's your chance. Did you have something to say?

Carlisle: Yes and thank you for the opportunity.

Interest Me: Of course.

Carlisle: I wanted to talk about domestic abuse. Now don't get uncomfortable. I'm a doctor, and this is a concern of mine.

Interest Me: I see.

Carlisle: Domestic violence is never okay. Don't keep it to yourself. Talk to someone. Call a domestic violence shelter in your area. Tell a teacher. Call the police. Tell your doctor. Tell me.

Interest Me: You're a fictional character.

Carlisle: Very true. This is one subject that makes me feel real. Don't tell me. Edward, Renesmee and I cannot help you. Tell a flesh and blood person. Get help. Don't delay!

Interest Me: This is important information.

Carlisle: Indeed it is. The important thing is not to let feelings of shame prevent you from reaching out. That shame does not belong to you. Don't convince yourself that if you clean better, or talk nicer, or study harder that everything will be okay. It's not your fault, and you need to reach out for help.

Interest Me: What if the abuse is not physical? Is verbal abuse just as bad?

Carlisle: Yes it is. Verbal abuse does much damage too, and anyone suffering from such must ask for help. Humans are fragile. They need to take care of themselves.

Interest Me: Anything else?

Carlisle: Well I noticed a bit of bullying in your story. Nobody should tolerate bullying.

Interest Me: What is your advice?

Carlisle: The same as my advice for any violence. Tell somebody. Tell your parents, teacher, boss, doctor, counselor, human resources, just don't keep it to yourself.

Interest Me: Thank you Carlisle.

Carlisle: The point is, fictional characters in a story full of vampires and wolves with superhuman strength and mind reading abilities are not the best role models to look to. They handle problems very differently than humans in the real world. And my dear, all of your readers live in the real world. They need to act accordingly and reach out for help.

Interest Me: Well if there is one thing I have learned from Edward, it is to always listen to Carlisle.

**Thank you for your time. And now, our regularly scheduled chapter.**

Renesmee knew the car had once been a luxury vehicle. Those days were gone. A headlight was busted out, and rusty flames licked the wheel wells. One of the side panels was blue; the rest of the car was a soft cream. The bumper sat askew as though it was lifting a puzzled eyebrow. Its condition would have angered Rosalie.

Boyd sat behind the wheel, and Sunita leaned against the passenger door, as far away from him as the car allowed. They engaged in animated conversation, and Boyd punched the steering wheel. Renesmee picked up her pace and stalked toward the car.

Boyd reached over and grabbed Sunita's face. He squeezed her cheeks, forcing her lips to puff together and outward. She clenched her eyes shut and grabbed his wrist.

_Think it through! Dad is listening. He already knows what I'm up to._

Renesmee thought it through and made her decision. Now she just had to act faster than the vamps could intervene. She knocked on Boyd's window. He looked out, and she smiled and waved at him.

"Renesmee, don't," her father said at the edge of the trees. He was walking toward her, but observers kept him close to human pace. _Plenty of time._ The window squeaked and protested as its motor forced it down.

Renesmee's senses were revved up to full hunting mode now. She smelled sweat, cigarette smoke and hamburger wrappers. A charred circle on the back seat emitted the odor of burnt leather. The sweet smell of antifreeze wove it all together into an unholy confection.

"What?" Boyd asked.

His breath stung her eyes. It smelled of old and new alcohol.

"I wanted to catch Sunita before she left. You must be Boyd. We haven't met yet. I'm Renesmee," she said and offered her hand. She flashed her most dazzling smiled and forced her eyes to smolder into his.

"Renesmee, stop right now," her mother said.

Both of her parents and the rest of the vampires had emerged from the woods. Boyd held out his hand. Renesmee grabbed it warmly in hers and squeezed.

_Just a tiny break. Nothing that will maim him. Just something that will take that hand out of commission._

Renesmee delicately squeezed a bit harder and felt a satisfying crack.

"Fuck!" Boyd screamed and grabbed his hand to his chest.

Renesmee yanked the door open.

"What's wrong? Oh my god, what happened Boyd? Your hand is swelling. Let me look at it," Renesmee grabbed the injured hand. The vampires were getting closer.

"You need a doctor. Move over."

Renesmee put her hip in the car and nudged Boyd.

"Get away from me, Bitch. You broke my finger."

"That's impossible!" Renesmee said.

"Renesmee!" her father said.

Renesmee bumped her hip into Boyd's with unexpected strength, forcing him to the middle of the bench seat. She turned the key. The engine sputtered to life. Renesmee drove the car to the parking lot exit and stopped. The car threatened to stall so she pushed the gas pedal quickly and turned in the direction of the hospital. She saw her parents and Jasper in the rearview mirror.

_Sorry, Dad, but right is right!_

A sweat broke out on Boyd's upper lip, and he breathed heavily. He blinked tears away.

_Geez, not such a big man now are ya?_

"You broke my fucking hand," Boyd complained.

"Maybe you were holding it at a weird angle. My grandmother once broke her wrist just getting into bed. It's all about the angle."

"I have to call my parents," Sunita said.

Renesmee hadn't thought to let her out of the car. There had not been time.

Renesmee followed the red sign that pointed to Emergency. She parked the car, and Boyd slid clumsily out after her. She tried to lay a helping hand on Boyd's arm as the doors swooshed open.

"Don't touch me, Bitch," he said and jerked his arm away. The motion made him wince.

The nurse whisked him back into an exam room. Renesmee sat with Sunita in the waiting area. The television was tuned to CNN, and an urgent looking woman delivered apparently earth shattering news. Renesmee listened as the somber woman with glossy lips informed the pubic of a young actress's recent rehab admission.

_Poor girl. She has less privacy than me._

"I don't understand what just happened," Sunita said.

"Neither do I. He must have had his pinky bent funny. I don't know."

"He seems to be in pain," Sunita smirked.

"Sunita, I saw him grab your face," Renesmee confessed.

The faded marks were still evident to Renesmee's sharp eyes. Sunita rubbed her cheeks.

"What's going on?" Renesmee asked.

"He won't leave me alone. I went on a date with him last year. It was a mistake. I was being rebellious, and now he won't leave me alone." Sunita brushed a tear from her eye.

"What do the police say? What about your parents?"

"No. No police. I cannot tell my parents."

"But . . . "

"Renesmee!" Carlisle called from across the waiting room. "May I speak to you please?"

Renesmee followed Carlisle to his office.

"Close the door," he said with his back to her.

"Grandpa, I can explain."

"Enough."

Carlisle turned to face her. Black eyes bored into hers. When was the last time he had hunted? He was usually very careful about those things. But there was more in his expression. The hair on the back of Renesmee's neck pricked. Carlisle looked like a vampire. His stare held her eyes captive.

"You have some decisions to make, Renesmee," he said. His voice was barely above a whisper, but rang through the office.

"He hurt my friend. Did you see the marks on her face?"

"I saw them. There are other options."

"But she won't tell her parents. She won't tell the police."

"You come to me then. This is unacceptable."

"Grandpa, I'm not sorry."

"I'm not asking you to be sorry. I'm asking you to make a decision. You are a Cullen, and we do things a certain way."

"Not always, Grandpa. You let Rosalie kill her attackers."

"You will not use my past actions out of context. Do you understand? This is why I sent your father home. Your tactics work on him because of his guilty conscience. They won't work with me."

"Dad's not here?"

"Do you think it was easy for me to send my son away when he rebelled? Do you doubt my love for him?"

"No, Grandpa."

"But when he decided to live by his own code, when he decided to dole out justice and hunt humans, I made him leave. It nearly killed me and Esme, but we did it. Edward is even more afraid of losing you. You are biologically his, and you may be able to convince him to lower our standards, but you will not convince me."

And that was the crux of the matter. Carlisle had built this family, and he would allow nothing to tear it down. Carlisle continued staring into her eyes.

"Your father learned his lesson. You don't know this, but a group of men attacked your mother once."

"What?"

What was he talking about? She knew everything about her parents.

"He saw into their minds, and he knew their intentions. He wanted to kill them, Renesmee."

"He should have."

"But when he was overwhelmed, he came to me. He needed help resisting. We found a way. Stop trying to handle these problems on your own."

Carlisle's voice softened some, but not completely. He stalked toward her. Stalked?

"I don't believe you will leave, Renesmee. I believe you can get control of this. You must. I don't want you to go, but there are some rules you cannot break."

Her grandfather's face was stone; frozen in disappointment and determination.

"I will not patch up anymore of your decisions. You want to grow up. I think it's time you did just that."

Renesmee's vampire instincts picked up on danger and her body responded, tensing for a confrontation. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and told her body to calm down. Even if the danger was real, and she didn't think it was, defense was out of the question.

"I'm not sorry, Grandpa. I'm not sorry I hurt him, but I'm sorry I hurt you."

Renesmee blinked searing tears from her eyes. Carlisle's eyes lightened and his face softened. He embraced her.

"Child, there were many times when only fear of hurting and disappointing me kept your father in line. If that is what it takes, I'm okay with that. But it means I can't change my standards for even a moment. You need them. Edward needs them. We all do."

Renesmee sobbed. Carlisle pulled her more tightly into a hug. Renesmee smelled his freshly starched shirt, the ammonia from Alice's latest application of grey temple hair, and the unique fragrance that was her grandfather and comfort.

"I didn't like seeing my friend hurt," she said.

"We will have to find another way then."

Carlisle pulled away from her. His face was gentle and his eyes glowed golden again. He handed her the keys to his Mercedes.

"Take Sunita home. Get her story, and we will talk about the options."


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four:**

**Just A Normal Family**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Stephenie Meyer owns all original stories and characters.<strong>

* * *

><p>Renesmee was still stinging from Carlisle's rebuke as she and Sunita walked the Mercedes. Renesmee adjusted the mirrors and seat and buckled her seatbelt. She took some deep breaths to calm herself. Sunita stared at her hands, clasped in her lap.<p>

"Sunita, will you please tell me what's going on? Why are you afraid to tell your parents?"

Sunita's shoulders slumped in resignation. She twisted her fingers.

"My family is very traditional. We live here in America, but they hang onto their culture from India. I cannot date. My parents expect me to concentrate on school."

Renesmee listened to the cadence in Sunita's speech. She had no discernible accent, but there was a certain quality to her to her dialog that was almost musical.

"Last year before summer vacation, I started fighting with my parents. I was angry that my cousin had been sent to India, and they defended the decision."

"Why was she sent to India?"

"Her parents said she was out of control."

"What did she do?"

"She had a boyfriend and refused to quit seeing him. Her grades were falling, and she was disobedient. She regularly broke curfew, and then my aunt . . ."

"Yes?"

"My aunt found birth control pills in her bedroom. It was the final straw, and they sent her away. Just like that."

Renesmee's stomach tightened. She ran her conversation with Carlisle through her head. _Just like that? Could it happen to me?_

"I'm sorry Sunita."

"I was so angry. My cousin and I were very close. She was scaring me, it's true, but I didn't want her to be sent away. I said so, and my parents told me there were no other options. They said her parents were worried about their daughter's future."

_Like Carlisle is worried about my future._

"Maybe they were, Sunita. Maybe this was the only way they knew how to handle it."

"No. A parent should love a child. I was so angry because I knew then that if I didn't do things my parents' way, they would send me away too."

"Oh."

"So I felt rebellious. Boyd liked me, and he wanted to take me on a date. I didn't like him at all, but I wanted to hurt my parents. It was terrible. He took me to the diner, but before we went inside, he drank a beer."

"In the car?"

"Yes. But it only got worse. He poured something from a flask into his soda, and then he poured some into mine. I refused to drink it, and he drank both of them. He was rude and kept grabbing my hand like he owned me. I just wanted to go home, but I didn't want to drive with him. I couldn't call my parents."

"What did you do?"

"He slipped out to his car to drink another beer, and I snuck out of the restaurant. I started walking home. Tommy saw me, and he gave me a ride."

"So he didn't take the hint?"

"No. He wouldn't leave me alone at school. But then, I didn't see him over summer break. My parents took me to India for a visit for much of the summer, and I didn't think he would ever knock on our door. But when school started again, he was there again. My hope was that he would forget about me."

"Has he . . . has he hurt you many times?"

"No. This was the first time. He was trying to convince me to date him, and I told him no. He grabbed my face, and then you were there."

"Where do you live?"

Sunita gave Renesmee directions.

When they pulled into Sunita's driveway, she turned to Renesmee.

"Do the marks show on my face?"

Renesmee looked her over. She clearly saw the fingerprints on Sunita's face, but knew that human eyes would miss it.

"All clear," she assured her.

"Would you like to come in?"

Renesmee knew she should go home. She was in a great deal of trouble. Oh well, the trouble would be there when she got home.

"Sure."

Renesmee followed Sunita into the house. Sunita stopped in the foyer and removed her shoes. She wasn't wearing socks. Renesmee decided she should remove her shoes and wondered if socks were okay. She left them on.

A small woman appeared. A gold stud gleamed from her nose, and gold bracelets clicked on her arm. The entire house smelled of the delicious spices that Renesmee had tasted in Sunita's lunch. Her stomach grumbled.

"Sunita, how is your friend?"

"She is okay Mom. It is a mild break."

_Sunita must have told her mother that a female friend was hurt._

"I am so glad."

"Mom, this is my friend, Renesmee."

"Pleased to meet you, Renesmee. You may call me Palmy, it is easier for Americans."

Renesmee nodded, even though she knew she could flawlessly pronounce any word in any language, most human's couldn't. Sunita led her into the living room. A man sat at a desk in the corner with his back facing them, examining a computer screen. He had a small bald spot on the crown of his head.

"Dad, this is my friend Renesmee."

Her father turned and smiled at Renesmee.

"Ah, hello Renesmee. I am Sudhir. How is your friend?"

"She's doing well, Dad."

A petite pudgy woman padded into the room. Her grey hair was pulled away from her face, and she wore an intricately embroidered sari with shiny golden fabric against its border. Sunita spoke to her in a language that Renesmee didn't understand. It wasn't Hindi so perhaps it was a local dialect. A smile pushed the woman's round cheeks into soft little pads. She nodded her head and patted Renesmee on the arm.

"That's my grandmother. She doesn't speak much English."

The older woman disappeared into the kitchen. Renesmee smelled something toasting, and as she walked with Sunita, she caught site of the grandmother laying a flat round piece of dough onto an apparatus set up over the gas burner. The flames toasted the dough for a bit, and the woman grabbed it with bare hands and flipped it to toast the other side.

"Mom, Renesmee tried some of my lunch today. She liked it."

"Was that your first time eating curry?" Palmy asked.

"Yes ma'am. It was really good."

Palmy glowed.

"Perhaps your parents will allow you to eat dinner with us tonight."

Renesmee loved her speech. It flowed like water. She looked at Sunita, and Sunita nodded and smiled at her. Renesmee really wanted to eat some more curry and to get to know Sunita better. She didn't know how her parents would react, but she decided to stay.

"I would love that," she said.

"Yes, good. Now call. Call your parents," Palmy said.

Oh right. Of course they would insist on permission. The call was only a technicality, because she had caught her father's scent in the air before entering the house. But she couldn't assure Sunita's mother that she had already informed her parents telepathically. She pulled her phone out and hit a button.

"Renesmee," her father's voice greeted her.

Renesmee didn't know if she should call him Dad or Uncle. She had introduced him as her uncle to Tommy. She chose neither.

"Hi, it's Renesmee. May I stay at my friend's for dinner?"

"Renesmee . . ."

"I talked to Grandpa today."

"I know."

"I thought you were gone."

"I didn't go far."

"It was very difficult."

"I know, Renesmee. I . . . remember when it was me."

Her father understood like no one else could. She heard it in his voice.

"You can stay. I think you've been scolded enough."

"Thanks."

She dropped her phone back in her purse.

"I'm allowed to stay."

Sunita's grandmother was setting the table. Palmy laid a platter of rice on the table. Even the rice was fragrant. It didn't smell at all like the bland rice Sue served.

Renesmee spotted a child's drawing nestled in frame and hanging in a place of honor in the dining room. A mother, a father, a little girl and a grandmother held hands and smiled behind the glass. A rainbow provided the background. In the corner of the drawing, childlike letters spelled Sunita. The opposite wall was a collage of pictures of baby Sunita, toddler Sunita, young Sunita riding a bike, preteen Sunita dressed in a sari, a smiling Sunita holding up a report card marked with all A's, and present day Sunita staring off into the distance in a black and white photo. On an end table, a plate holder displayed Sunita's kindergarten hand print in plaster of Paris.

Renesmee wondered if these people would truly send their daughter away for disobeying them once.

Renesmee sat at the table and spooned rice and curry onto her plate. She turned down the bread. She mixed curry and rice with her fork, and slid it into her mouth. Flavor erupted against her tongue. She closed her eyes. Never had she imagined that human food could taste good.

She opened her eyes and saw that the others had started their meal. There was something different. At first she couldn't see what it was so she looked closer. The movements were so casual and graceful that it took a moment to realize they were not using forks. Renesmee watched as they used only their hands to pop food into their mouths. Her own fork had been supplied as a courtesy.

She set down her fork and gave it a try. Rice spilled between her fingers and down the front of her blouse. Everyone smiled. Sunita's father slowed down and demonstrated how he mixed a bit of curry into the rice until everything stuck, and then he formed it into an informal lump and scooped it into his mouth. Renesmee's second attempt was more successful and nothing dropped.

Sunita's grandmother laughed and nodded at Renesmee.

"Good, good," she said. Renesmee was surprised to hear her speaking English, but then realized that was silly; her vocabulary may be small, but of course she understood some of it.

"Thank you," she said. The woman nodded at her again, her eyes twinkling.

Renesmee was convinced there was no way this family would send their daughter away.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five:**

**It Made Sense at the Time**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Stephenie Meyer owns all original stories and characters.<strong>

* * *

><p>Her father was already waiting for her in the car when she emerged from Sunita's house.<p>

"Hi, Dad."

Edward turned the key. A russet wolf darted out of the trees and shot a look through the windshield.

"So it's you and Jake on Renesmee patrol tonight?" she asked.

"You seem to be developing quite a taste for human food?" he cringed.

"I know, right?"

"Carlisle was really rough on you."

"Dad, he _stalked _me! _Stalked_! His eyes were black. My instincts actually told me to defend myself and fight him. To fight _Grandpa!_"

Edward chuckled.

"I remember when it was me. He is a vampire you know."

"I tend to forget that. So, Dad, does he mean it?"

Edward looked at her. The trees flew by at 80 miles an hour.

"He thinks he does. It breaks his heart."

"But he had no objections to Aunt Rose taking vengeance."

"You're wrong. He did have objections. Strong ones. I saw his struggle. I saw hers too. She was broken, Renesmee, and not dealing well with this life that Carlisle had given her. Carlisle saved her, but felt guilty for doing so."

"What made him decide?"

"Rosalie's anger. It was a dangerous time. Nothing prevented her from leaving and becoming a complete savage. She couldn't deal with the rage. She was a newborn, and they aren't able to change emotion easily. For Rose, it was impossible. Your grandfather feared losing her forever and thought that letting her take revenge may act as an escape valve. He was right, you know. He usually is."

"So he just gave her the okay?"

"Not at first. He tried to talk her out of it. He asked me what was going on in the minds of her attackers. I saw . . . only dark deeds. Rose was not the first, and she wouldn't be the last. Carlisle made the choice to save her at the expense of their lives."

"How did it feel when he made you leave?"

"I felt right. I felt justified. But then I saw Esme's face, and that haunted me. With Carlisle, I was a rebellious son. With Esme, I was the son that broke her heart. As time went on, I couldn't erase her face and disappointment from my thoughts. Feeding on humans did something to my mind as well. I felt my reason slipping and my compassion dissolving. It was only a matter of time before I hunted someone innocent."

"Why?"

"Once you justify killing someone, and you have a taste for their blood, the lines get blurred. What is the difference between killing a fully grown man that has committed murder, and a child whose mind works like a killer's? I'm not Alice, but I could predict the harm they would one day be capable of. "

"Children?"

"It was close, Renesmee. But I looked into the mirror, and I no longer saw Carlisle's influence in my expression. I saw Esme's pain. I didn't see myself. It scared me. Suddenly I needed my mother and father. I went home."

"Grandpa scared me."

"Good."

"Boyd still deserved it. I won't let him hurt my friend."

"I understand. You'll find a way."

They turned into the driveway. Edward slid the car into park and turned off the motor.

_Sounds like you have some faith in me, _she thought.

Edward smiled at her.

"Well half of you came from your mother so there is hope."

Jacob bounded out of the woods in human form.

"Nessie!" He opened his arms and seemed about to hug her, but then he dropped his arms.

"So does this mean I can take you out for a human dinner some time?" he asked.

"As long as it's curry. I don't care much for the bread or the dessert."

Then he did reach out and loop an arm around her waist. She grabbed his and they walked toward the house together. She let the comfort of his warm gesture soothe the tension inside. She could always count on Jacob when it mattered. Edward disappeared into the house.

"So how is his finger?" Jacob asked.

"It's not bad; just a hairline fracture. I was careful."

Jacob laughed.

"You were careful. You know that sounds ridiculous?"

"I know, but it made sense at the time."

"One time, when I was nine, Quil, Embry and I piled a bunch of old tires next to my house. Then we climbed up to the roof. Quil jumped first, and he bounced three times. It was like he could fly! Anyway, he was laughing and whooping and he called for Embry to jump next."

"How many times did Embry bounce?"

"I don't remember. He broke his wrist and knocked a tooth loose."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because when our parents asked us what we were thinking, we said it made sense at the time."

"So are you saying I acted like a nine-year-old?"

"Maybe, but that's a compliment considering you're five."

Renesmee punched his arm causing him to stumble sideways.

"What would you have done?" she asked.

"If I saw him hurting a friend, I probably would have ripped his throat out."

"Exactly!"

Jacob grabbed her hand and squeezed it. He veered them away from the house.

"So, you're making friends," he said

"Enemies too."

"Yep. I overheard the scary girls talking. You're on their list."

"How do you like your new job?"

"It would be okay except for this one student that is making life hard for me."

"Maybe you're making life hard for her."

"Maybe she'll find it in her heart to stop."

"Maybe she can't make any promises."

"Why?"

Jacob stopped and his warm brown eyes gazed into hers. She looked for judgment or irritation, but all she saw was acceptance and love. But it was just genetics. He was obligated to put up with her.

_Because I don't like how the girls look at you. Because when I see you through their eyes, I realize you are separate from me, with your own personality and beauty. Because I can't kiss you. Stop listening, Dad!_

"Because I suspect I'm insane, and therapy is not an option," she said out loud.

"Well I already knew that," Jacob teased.

The night sky bathed the yard in rich purples. They walked with the easy comfort of days gone past, but Renesmee didn't feel the same inside. All of her nerves focused on where their hands met. He squeezed, and it sent a shock wave through her body. Her heart sped, and her palms dampened.

"What's wrong? You seem nervous?" Jacob asked.

Of course he could hear her heart and detect minute changes in her skin. Her breathing quickened. He would detect that too. She looked at his lips. She thought of how many times he had easily kissed her cheeks and forehead. But that was all off limits now. Or was it? Without permission, her finger touched his bottom lip. He pulled his head away.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said, "you just had a bug. When was the last time you bathed?"

He chuckled.

"Maybe it was a flea," she said in a further attempt to play it off as a joke. Tears began to run down her sinuses, and she swallowed them.

"We should go back now," he said and tugged her around toward the house.

"I really don't want to go in there. I don't want to face them all."

Jacob wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Her nostrils pricked at the fragrance that could only be Jacob; wood, grass, musk and denim.

"Don't worry. I'll stay with you," he promised.

Cricket song pulsed a melody as they walked. Frogs added their bass. She had been determined to let him go. But her resolve was weakening every day.

"Jacob, if you could go anywhere, where would it be?"

"I can go anywhere, but I like it here. What about you?"

"Mars."

"On a stolen space shuttle?"

"Yes."

He squeezed her shoulders and led her to her doom.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six:**

**Why the Hell Do Damn Things Always Have to Change?**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Stephenie Meyer owns all original stories and characters.<strong>

* * *

><p><em>He squeezed her shoulders and led her to her doom.<em>

Jacob felt Renesmee stiffen as they approached the house. Her heart sped, and its erratic rhythm danced around the melody of the night music of crickets and frogs. He was a failure. It was his job to protect her and comfort her, but instead he was throwing her to the wolves . . . er vampires. He was forcing her to deal with everything alone.

He tugged at her shoulders and changed their course. She offered no resistance but relaxed. He released her shoulders and clasped her hand. It lay, tiny and warm, in his oversized paw. His genes demanded that he do better.

"Let's walk a little longer. You don't seem ready to go in," he said and steered her toward a large rock near the trees. They sat, and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I meant what I said. I really do feel like I'm going insane. Nothing makes any sense."

Jacob let go of her arm and wrapped it around her waist. She leaned into him.

"Aw Nessie, it's going to get better. Growing up is hard, and you have to do it so fast. I know what that feels like."

"You are the only one that could understand that part of it."

Jacob stroked her hair.

"Oh, that's not true. Just about anyone in the pack could help you out there."

"But none of you went from birth to grown in just five years. You all had at least a little bit of time to experience childhood. "

He brushed a few silky waves away from her face.

"True, but at least your nature didn't change. I mean, you are still basically the same. I grew a tail."

Renesmee giggled. Jacob's heart warmed.

"Remember when I braided beads into your tail?"

Jacob groaned.

"I remember when you stole Alice's nail polish and painted my claws. Sam will never let me live that one down."

"You were my pretty wolf!"

He watched her smile. He was sure she was remembering the horrors she had put him through; ribbons in his hair, tea parties, ballet dancing.

"You were _my_ wolf," she whispered.

She stared into his eyes. There was that look again. The look he had seen after the bowling alley fiasco. The same look she had on her face when they watched a movie. Her tongue flicked across her parted lips, and he knew _that _move.

He had been completely justified in covering her entire head with his hand the night they came home from the bowling alley. She was being a brat. Dumping popcorn on her and tweaking her nose had been a little harsh. He didn't want to hurt her feelings anymore, but he wasn't ready. His eyes told him she was a young woman now, but his heart screamed she was a little girl. He missed the days when simply flinging her into a tree so she could grab a branch and swing like a monkey was all the reassurance she needed.

She leaned forward. His mind jumped into hyper-drive as he searched for a way to give Renesmee her dignity while preserving his sanity. _Dammit!_ Why couldn't anything ever happen at the right time for him? Her lips continued to approach his, and panic set in. Without thought, his hand shot between them, and he pressed the tip of his finger into her chin, stopping her progress, but keeping eye contact. Her chin quivered under his touch.

"I'm not ready for this, Nessie."

She pulled back.

"Does that mean that one day you will be ready?"

"I don't know what the hell it means. I'm supposed to be anything you need, but I'm coming up empty here, Kid."

"I'm not . . . "

". . . a kid. I know! It freaks me out a little."

Her face froze into an unreadable mask. No hint of emotion clued Jacob into what she was feeling. Her vampire side had come out.

"So maybe it's just genes then," she said, "just a biological thing that your mind resists."

"It's not like that, Nessie. I'm confused. You are special with or without my DNA."

"Really? You think I'm special?"

Jacob rolled his eyes.

"What's special about me?"

She looked up at him through her eyelashes. A soft pink blush warmed her cheeks.

_Warning. Don't treat her like a child. I don't want to do this. She has to know she is worth more than a cheap genetic trick. Yes, but where will it lead? Shit._

Jacob drew in a deep breath.

_You're perfect. Impossible, that's the DNA laughing. Give her something real._

"You're fearless."

"Yeah?"

Jacob smiled.

"Yeah. I mean look at you. You take on every challenge without blinking. You punched a werewolf, broke a jerk's finger, and stared down the mean girls. You even went to school!"

_And you're crashing into womanhood without even glancing backwards._

"School? Yeah, Jaky, that took a lot of courage," she shook her head smiling.

"From what I remember, it can make a grown man cry."

_Lame. It doesn't touch the surface. Gah! Where are the words?_

"So I punched a werewolf who couldn't hit back, gave the Rose treatment to some snotty girls, gave a firm handshake to a real jerk, and of course, went to school. Not very convincing Jaky."

_Change the subject._

"We can't put this off forever. Are you ready to go in yet?" he asked. Renesmee's face returned to neutral. She looked at him for a long time; her face giving no clues to the thought brewing behind her eyes. Jacob squirmed under her scrutiny. Finally she gave him a half smile and looped her arm around his.

"Sure, Jaky. Let's get this over with," she said in a cheery voice.

Totally fake. Her voice revealed more than her face.

All of the vampires awaited them. Rosalie stood in the center of the living room with her arms crossed and staring at the door with a hardened expression. Bella glided across the room and stroked Renesmee's face. Esme rubbed Carlisle's shoulders and smiled at her granddaughter. Carlisle looked . . . determined. Edward locked eyes with Jacob and won the staring contest. Jacob looked away.

Rosalie slid an arm through Renesmee's, claiming the one that wasn't already called for by Jacob.

_Lions and tigers and bears, oh my, _thought Jacob.

"Come on Nessie, let's go make sure Boyd's car never starts again," she said as she tugged Renesmee away from Jacob.

With Blondie on her side, Renesmee didn't need Jacob anymore. The two women blurred out of the sliding glass doors. Jacob exited the house without saying anything, although he shot a message to Edward when he reached the door. Edward exited with him.

They ran silently until they were sure they were out of hearing range of the house. Jacob collapsed on the ground and leaned against a tree. Edward sat next to him.

A million thoughts scrambled through Jacob's brain, but Edward picked out one.

"If I thought you were a predator, you wouldn't be breathing," Edward murmured.

Jacob punched the ground sending a spray of bracken into the air.

"She's a _kid!"_ he said as though arguing the point.

Edward rubbed a hand over his eyes and pulled it down until it popped off his chin.

"She's not," he said while looking at his feet.

"I wanted to kiss her," Jacob confessed.

Edward's fists clenched and then opened to tug at his hair. He ground his teeth.

"I must be some kind of pervert," Jacob moaned.

"I wish you were because then I could kill you. Problem solved."

Edward stared into the trees. His lips curved into a small smile as though the thought really pleased him. He sighed with what appeared to be defeat.

"Look, Jacob, I have been blessed or cursed with the ability to look into the minds of the wicked. The men I killed when I was young, James, Victoria, and the men that attacked Bella in Port Angeles."

"What?" What men in Port Angeles? When? It was Jacob's turn to ball up his fists.

"It happened before she and I were together. I saw the leader's plans for her. It was taken care of."

Edward looked into Jacob's eyes.

"The point is, there is a certain, I don't know how to explain it, flavor, or tone or something to the thoughts of the evil. Blackness laces through their every idea. It's uncomfortable. . . painful. . . to witness."

Jacob watched Edward's face age before him. He had once thought of Edward as that very kind of person, but seeing his eyes now, his abhorrence to what he knows . . . well. As hard as his life was at times, he realized that Edward carried a much heavier burden.

"Shit," Jacob hissed.

"Shit," Edward agreed.

Jacob stood and allowed heat to course from his center to his limbs. He embraced a shimmer in the air and exploded into fur. He ran away, leaving his shredded clothes behind.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven:**

**Adult to Adult**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Stephenie Meyer owns all original stories and characters.<strong>

* * *

><p>Renesmee scrubbed the motor oil from under her fingernails. Boyd's car had breathed its last. Alice waited impatiently, having set up dozens of bottles and tools to give her a new manicure. It looked like a mad scientist's laboratory. Judging from the maniacal look in Alice's eyes and the way her hair stood on end, such a comparison was probably not far off.<p>

She thought about her conversation with Jacob. He thought she was fearless. He had treated her like an adult. And that meant when he rejected her this time, it wasn't because she was a kid. He was simply rejecting her. She scrubbed harder and blinked to clear her vision. He really didn't want her.

Hadn't she already decided to let him go? Sure, but that was more like a tantrum. That was when she believed she wouldn't really have to. That was when it was safe. This time it would have to be real. Adult to adult. Jacob was bound by forces beyond his control, and he didn't want it. Was she so bound? No. Jacob was everything she ever wanted because he had to be. He had no choice. Given a choice, he wouldn't choose her.

Renesmee turned off the water and dried her hands. Alice instantly appeared at her side, and she allowed the tiny powerhouse to lead her to the dressing table.

"You know, Nessie, your nails aren't indestructible like mine. You should have worn gloves," she fretted as she dabbed moisturizer on Renesmee's nail beds.

"Sorry, Aunt Alice," Renesmee sighed and leaned back, surrendering to Alice's skillful hands.

"Well, it's nothing we can't clear up."

"Thank goodness for the small things."

Renesmee's nose pricked at the smell of acetone that Alice spread across the old polish to soften and remove it.

"So what devious plot have you and Rosalie come up with to handle Boyd?"

"We have a few ideas. I don't know if Grandpa will approve."

"Well just avoid the B's. Broken bones, bumps, bruises and blood. That should keep him happy."

"That eliminates most of Aunt Rose's suggestions," Renesmee sighed.

"You'll figure it out, and I'll keep you looking good while you carry it out."

"Will Grandpa be mad at me for long?"

"Jasper says he isn't even angry anymore. Your parents figure you've already been through a thorough scolding so they won't be giving you any problems. Of course, Rosalie had already argued your case."

"What would you do?"

"Well I see that tomorrow he is going to spend some time under his hood trying to fix his car. He'll already be a bit drunk. I'd probably arrange for him to have an accident. With just some minor adjustments, the hood would be guaranteed to fall on his head. Or perhaps the car could be rigged to slip out of park and roll over him. He's going to smoke some marijuana in the woods tomorrow afternoon instead of going to school. I could weaken a limb high up on the tree he'll sit against, and it would fall on him."

Renesmee stared at Alice's smiling face. Alice was quite dangerous.

"Of course, if we just want to send him away and avoid bodily injury, which doesn't sound nearly as fun, I could fill his car up with stolen FBI surveillance equipment. That's federal you know. Or we could drive him insane!"

The maniacal look was back in Alice's eyes. She grabbed a file and scrubbed at Renesmee's nails. She felt the vibrations all the way up to her elbow.

"I could make sure he wakes up in a different location every morning! The roof, the freeway median, a church pew, or . . . OH . . . in the school gym nude. Now that would be fun!"

Alice squealed the last part. She grabbed a buffer and went to work smoothing Renesmee's nails.

"I could have Jasper follow him and make him feel the deepest dread every time he looked at Sunita. Or, oh, your father could tell me what he is thinking, and I could write his deepest thoughts on the white board at school."

"Do you think all this would be okay with Grandpa?"

"If he doesn't know, it can't bother him. The point is, Renesmee, you have talent. Use it!"

"Remind me never to make you mad."

Alice paused and thought a moment.

"Yes, that wouldn't be wise," she agreed.

Renesmee emerged with freshly painted nails to find her father and Jacob had returned. Jacob sat on the loveseat with his long brown arm thrown over the back, nestling an empty spot into which Renesmee would have fit perfectly. He smiled an invitation at her and held the remote control. Her parents sat next to each other on the couch, also leaving a soft vacancy for her. She wanted to sink into the bubble of Jacob's warmth but remembered her resolve to give him his freedom. She curled up on the seat next to her mother and laid her head on Bella's lap.

Bella ran her fingers through Renesmee's hair, and she sighed and closed her eyes. Jacob thought she was fearless, but her mother was the brave one. She'd challenged the supernatural as a fragile human as though it was as natural as breathing. She'd faced death repeatedly with absolute certainty that she would lose, and yet she won. Her mother always sacrificed for those she loved, and Renesmee drew strength from this, hoping that she too could be strong enough to sacrifice for Jacob.

Her father heard her thoughts and replaced her mother's hands in her hair. Bella trailed soft comforting paths along Renesmee's shoulders. She grabbed Renesmee's hand and squeezed it three times. One. Two. Three. This was their secret code and each squeeze represented a word. I. Love. You. Renesmee answered by laying a sleepy hand on Bella's neck and picturing a heart exploding with flowers, framed by a rainbow. This was how she had always secretly answered her mother.

The movie started, but Renesmee never knew what was playing. Her next thought was waking in her bed the following morning.

That morning in Mr. Newton's class, Renesmee explained mitosis to the class. Mr. Newton trusted her so much that he spent the time texting on his phone. His rumpled shirt was unbuttoned at the top, and his tie was shoved aside. Renesmee could see a concert t-shirt peeking out the top.

After class she approached him. She finally had something outside of school to discuss with him.

"Hey, Mr. Newton. You know, I like the Black Keys too."

Mr. Newton looked confused. Renesmee pointed at his chest. He looked down.

"Oh, you can see that through my shirt?" he asked.

"I have pretty good eyes."

Mr. Newton pulled the top of his shirt away a few inches and looked inside.

"Yeah, I saw them in Seattle last year."

"I was at that concert too! We were both there."

Jacob had taken her. Maybe this was some kind of sign.

"Small world," he said.

"My favorite song by them is _Tighten Up._"

"Yeah! It's a funny video."

"I guess it proves you're never too young for love!"

Mr. Newton chuckled at that remark.

"_Your Touch_ is a funny video too. They're funny guys," he said.

"I don't really understand that one, but it makes me laugh anyway," she responded.

Mr. Newton's phone vibrated and he looked at the screen.

"Okay, Renesmee, tell your mother I said, 'hello'. See you tomorrow."

Renesmee nearly skipped out of the room. They had things in common.

At lunch, Renesmee ignored Nate's beckoning, Morgan's glare and the Tracies titters. She sat at Tommy and Sunita's table. Sunita handed her a silver cylinder filled with last night's dinner.

"My parents really liked you, and my mother sent this," she said.

Renesmee's taste buds started singing just from the aroma, and she separated the units. She thought about what had taken her to Sunita's house. Boyd was still nowhere to be seen. Renesmee wondered if Alice had carried out any of her plans. He could be pinned under a tree limb right now.

"I thought they were great. Tell your mother thank you."

"My grandmother thought you were fearless," she laughed.

This made Renesmee's heart drop a bit. She scanned the cafeteria and found Jacob standing in the corner; ready to clean up spills. He caught her eye and smiled, and she smiled back.

_I'm fearless. I can do this. I can be an adult and let him go._

"Renesmee's family is great too," Tommy said, "you should meet them some day."

Sunita's face fell. She must think. . .

"Saturday is gonna be fun!"

Sunita looked away. Renesmee had to fix this.

"Yeah, Sunita, I meant to ask. Do you want to come over on Saturday? You could hang out with _Tommy_" she said, stressing Tommy's name.

Sunita's face brightened. Tommy's face mirrored hers.

"I could ask my parents. They really did like you."

Renesmee took a large bite of curry.

"I can't promise you fantastic food like this, but we could put something together."

As they walked out of the cafeteria, a boy in front of Renesmee dropped a napkin and kept walking. Jacob took a step in their direction, but Renesmee bent over and swooped it up depositing it into the bin. Jacob smiled at her.

Adult. She would be an adult.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

**Who the Hell Am I?**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>All original characters and plot belong to Stephanie Meyer<strong>

* * *

><p>Jacob watched as Renesmee picked up the napkin and tossed it in the bin. His heart fell. Sure her usual hijinks were a pain in the ass, but that was how he and Renesmee rolled! She'd flood a locker room with bubbles, and he'd clean it up. She'd laugh. In other words, he was her clown. Clown. Is that all he was to her? What exactly did he have to offer? He was a high school drop-out that only got his custodian job because vampires were able to provide him with fake documents. Educated vampires. Hell, Renesmee's first act of independence was to go to school. Edward had been through high school and college more times than Jacob could count. What did he even have to talk about with Renesmee? A stupid series of clever taunts all meant to make her smile but giving her nothing to think about. Her first school girl crush is even on a teacher. Okay, so Mike is not a mental giant, but he symbolizes intelligence.<p>

When the last student filed out of the cafeteria, Jacob swept and mopped the floor. What was the last book he'd read? Did graphic novels count? Probably not. When he'd left school, they were just starting Romeo and Juliet. Ugh. But Bella's nose was always buried in books like that. Even with her perfect recall, she would read the same classics repeatedly. Carlisle stocked an entire library . . . in his _house._

Instead of sitting down to eat his own lunch, Jacob headed to the school library. It was a benefit of his job. He lost his opportunity to get his high school diploma. He couldn't go back. Hell, he couldn't even fit his gigantic body behind the desks anymore. He googled G.E.D, and clicked the most helpful looking link.

The page opened and informed him in large letters that he could take online courses to prepare him for the test. Test? He hated tests. Why was he doing this again? Oh, yeah, to impress the girl. Wait! Whoa. No, that can't be right.

Jacob stared at the screen. What was he doing? The last time he did schoolwork to impress a girl was when Bella had insisted they do homework together. That didn't turn out as expected. Jacob filled in the application, but didn't hit the submit button. He sighed and stood. He walked the aisles.

"Can I help you find something?" the librarian asked.

She was young and attractive and shot a flirtatious smile in his direction. Jacob smiled back and noted how her dark eyes lit up.

"Sure, sure. Where is the Shakespeare?"

The librarian giggled, and pointed him toward the Literature section. Jacob scanned the shelves. Even the titles were foreign to him; _Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer's Night Dream, Macbeth, Hamlet._ Geez. He completely dismissed _Romeo and Juliet._ He grabbed _Taming of the Shrew _and _Hamlet_ and went back to his computer. He pulled up a synopsis on _Taming of the Shrew_. Intriguing, but it also felt wrong. Besides, there would be no taming of Renesmee, and even thinking such a thing could get him hurt. _Hamlet_, an ordinary kind of guy, in love with a pretty girl. That is until the supernatural intruded and forcefully changed the complete focus of his entire life and stole his future. Yeah. Jacob could get into this one. He flicked through the pages. It may as well have been written in ancient Sumerian.

"Excuse me," he said to the pretty, dark-haired, librarian.

"Yes?"

"Where are your dictionaries?"

The librarian pointed to the proper section. Jacob grabbed a dictionary and returned to the computer. He opened the tab with his G.E.D. application and clicked submit. He checked out his books and rushed to the break room, leaving just enough time to wolf down three sandwiches.

As soon as he saw that Renesmee got home safely, Jacob excused himself and headed to LaPush. Billy met him at the door of his childhood home.

"Well hello, Stranger," Billy said.

"Hey, Dad."

"Charlie called today. Sue's car is acting up, and we thought maybe you could have a look at it. It's a few extra bucks. I could go with you; give you a hand."

Jacob snorted.

"Dad, Sue and Charlie are married now. When are you going to stop trying to impress the girl?"

"Charlie is looking like an old man. I'm just making sure Sue knows what her options are," Billy chuckled.

Jacob looked at his father who beamed back at him from his wheelchair. Many more grey strands painted their story through Billy's proud black mass. The lines around his mouth tucked their secrets deeper into his flesh than the last time Jacob took inventory. But his dark eyes sparkled with life. His face held a certain wisdom and humor that drew people in. Indeed, Charlie should never let down his guard.

"You're a dirty old man!" Jacob proclaimed.

"It's better than the alternative," Billy shot back.

"Tell you what, Perv, make us some dinner, and we'll head over there tonight. I have some reading to do."

"Reading?" Billy said, and the shock in his voice was captured in his eyes.

"Yeah, reading. I can read, you know."

"Of course I know that. It's just . . . "

"What? What is it just?"

"Nothing, Son. What are you reading?"

Jacob fidgeted. He was offended by his father's shock that he would be reading but embarrassed to tell the man that he was attempting _Hamlet._ He just couldn't tolerate any snide remarks about his ability to comprehend, and he didn't want to ruin the light mood between him and his father.

"I'm reading some Shakespeare."

Jacob's muscles tensed as they prepared to fight off his father's mocking words.

"Ah, Shakespeare!"

Billy pivoted his wheelchair so he was looking his son directly in his face. He lifted a dramatic hand and laid it over his heart. His voice deep and rich rumbled out the next lines.

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?  
>It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.<br>Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,  
>Who is already sick and pale with grief<br>That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she. . . .  
>The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars<br>As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heaven  
>Would through the airy region stream so bright<br>That birds would sing and think it were not night.

"Yeah, you learned that to pick up girls," Jacob scoffed.

"It worked on your mother," Billy laughed.

Jacob's mother had always been reading a book. She was intelligent and quick, and the life she chose was less than what she could have achieved. Jacob thought back to her energy and sense of humor. He could easily picture her being a boss lady in some high rise office building in Seattle.

Billy's eyes had lost focus. Jacob assumed he too was remembering her. The lines on his face pulled into a wistful smile. Jacob remained quiet for the moment.

"You had good taste, Dad," Jacob croaked, and cleared his throat in search of his voice.

"She did too," Billy insisted. Jacob relaxed as he felt the former mood return.

"She did marry a chief."

"Ah," Billy dismissed him with a wave of his hand," go on and read. I'll make fried chicken tonight."

Jacob smiled. His father's fried chicken was nectar from the gods.

Jacob stretched out on his bed; his feet hung over the edge, and his toes grazed the wall. Ever since his growth spurt six years ago, he'd thought about busting out the wall and enlarging the room. But he'd spent so little time in it since then. Dishes clattered in the kitchen, and soon the aroma of frying chicken drifted into his room. His father's deep voice rumbled as he chanted a simple tune to himself.

While dinner cooked, Jacob struggled through three pages of Hamlet. He had spent more time in the dictionary than on the pages. The names were foreign, and he had a hard time keeping track of who was saying what. So he started listing the characters and what he knew about them to reference whenever someone spoke. He slammed the book closed when his father called him to the table. He couldn't recall anything he had read, and he knew he'd have to start over tomorrow.

After eating, they headed over to Charlie and Sue's. Jacob didn't make any money that night. The only problem with Sue's car was a burnt out tail light.

"I told you that, Billy," Charlie had said suspiciously.

"You can never be too careful, Charlie. It could have been a major electrical problem. Remember, its cargo is very precious!" Billy had said, beaming at Sue.

"Yeah, yeah, you ain't fooling anyone, Chief," Charlie had said and pulled Sue close to him. Charlie had every right to feel jealous, and Jacob figured had it been him, someone would have got punched. But Charlie shrugged it off. He loved his old friend and was willing to entertain some light hearted competition. Jacob wondered when Billy would cross the line with Charlie.

"Come on, Old Man, there's still some time left in the game. Have a few beers and finish watching with me," Charlie invited.

Jacob pushed his father up the ramp into Charlie's house. The ramp was evidence of their deep friendship. Charlie used to just push Billy clumsily up the stairs, but when his back started to bother him, he had a ramp put in so his old friend could still visit.

Jacob drank a couple of beers and stared sightlessly at the television. He felt the familiar pull of the cable that kept him connected to Renesmee. He wondered how long that cable was. Could it be stretched and thinned? Should he want that? Yes, he should want that. He thought about a future without her, and darkness settled so heavy and dank, that despair filled him. The invisible cable rattled. For a moment, just a moment, he wished that shape shifters had the equivalent of the Volturi so he could negotiate his death. Of course, he could always go to the real Volturi, but it was unlikely it would end in his death. Aro would probably just adopt him as a pet and add him to the collection. He shook his head. These weren't the thoughts he should be having. He should be taking control and working out his future; possibly a future without Renesmee. His throat tightened, and he forced a mouthful of beer past the blockage. Had he mentioned that his life sucked?

That night, he dreamed of an Ophelia with wavy auburn hair. Hamlet morphed into a wolf and killed her father. Then he left Ophelia, and she died. Laertes, her vampire brother faced him and they fought to the death. Both their deaths.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

**Third Wheel**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

* * *

><p><strong>*Original plot and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. The rest is mine.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: It's been a long time, and I know that many readers may have thought I have forgotten about this story. Hopefully not too many of you have forgotten about this story and still want to see how it ends. I'll try not to let that happen again.<strong>

Renesmee awoke early on Saturday. She and her parents were going hunting before her friends got there. Emmett was preparing the garage for Tommy's first work out session. He flung barbells around as though they were feathers.

"Good Morning, Monster," he said when Renesemee peaked inside.

"Go easy on him, Uncle Emmett, he's fragile," Renesmee pled.

Emmett laughed.

"Give me a little credit," he said.

"When I say he's fragile, I mean even for a human."

"Well that's kind of the point. I'm gonna make him tough . . . for a human."

Renesmee left Emmett to set up. Edward and Bella waited for her in the kitchen.

"Good morning," Bella sang to her.

"Morning, Mom. Morning, Dad."

"Ready to go?" Edward asked.

"I thought Jacob might come with us," Renesmee said.

"He says he has some things to do," Bella said.

Jacob had been busy for days. Renesmee had only seen him at school, and it was really starting to bother her. She had noticed a paperback book sticking out of his back pocket. The title was hidden, but she caught a few words between the raggedy pages. He was reading Hamlet. She had no idea why.

Renesmee returned to find Tommy already in the garage with Emmett. She popped her head through the garage door. Tommy lay on a bench with barbells extended above his chest. His skinny legs stuck out from his black shorts, and the effort painted his face pink. A sheen of sweat stuck his hair to his forehead, and he panted with exertion.

Emmett stood out of Tommy's line of site, smirking with his own set of barbells . . . balanced on the tip of this finger and spinning. Renesmee rolled her eyes at him.

"Hi, Tommy," she called in.

Tommy tried to answer, but he only managed a squeak. His arms started shaking.

Emmett shot over to him and made a display of grabbing the weights with a mighty grunt and saving Tommy from crushing any vital organs. Tommy sat up and brushed his damp hair off his forehead. It stuck straight up and Renesmee suppressed a giggle. He smiled at Renesmee but took a few moments to catch his breath before speaking.

"Hi, Nessie! You weren't home when I got here."

"No, I went to breakfast with my parents," she answered.

"So, uhm, what . . . what time will Sunita get here?"

Behind Tommy, Emmett held three barbells in each hand and was silently dancing around the garage. He was such an idiot.

"She'll be here after lunch," Renesmee said, "Maybe around 1:00."

"Lunch!" Emmett called out and set the barbells down.

"Lots of protein for you!" he said to Tommy while shaking a finger at him. "I'm talking bloody steaks for building muscles."

"That gives me time for my makeover with Alice," Tommy said.

The situation was ridiculous on many levels, but Renesmee just smiled at him and wished him luck. He was really going to need it once Alice got her hands on him.

Renesmee borrowed a copy of Hamlet from Carlisle's library. She knew the play by heart, but she missed Jacob, and he was reading it. She opened to the first scene and felt an immediate connection to him. She could never decide if she liked Hamlet. The question posed as to whether he was insane or just faking was not interesting to her. Was he a good person? She could understand how a good person would do bad things in order to accomplish what he thought was right. She thought back on breaking Boyd's finger. But did that absolve him? She thought back on her grandfather stalking her in his office. She shook her head. She didn't know.

Things were not happy for Hamlet, and his life was anything but normal, but the appearance of his father's ghost fated him to travel a darker road. The supernatural always seemed to work that way. Humans just didn't have the strength to handle what that world throws at them.

What did Jacob see in this play, and why was he reading it? Renesmee could make a few connections to Jacob's real life, being a normal human until the supernatural butts in. But that still didn't explain what he was really up to.

She absorbed herself in the story. She reached the part where Hamlet commands Ophelia to get to a nunnery when the Tommy and Emmett came into the house. Rings of sweat dampened Tommy's t-shirt around his arms and chest. His hair clung to his head. Emmett opened the refrigerator and pulled out a steak. He fired up the broiler.

"Now the important thing is for you to eat some protein to help the muscles heal," Emmett explained. Tommy plopped into a chair. Emmett threw the steak in the stove. Tommy's arms trembled.

"Are you okay?" Renesmee asked eyeing his arms.

"He's fine!" Emmett announced and clapped Tommy on the shoulder. "His muscles are shaking because he had a great workout!"

Tommy didn't look convinced, but he grabbed his bottle of water and took a long pull. Emmett flipped the steak. Renesmee wasn't convinced either, but she saw that Tommy did sit a bit straighter with his shoulders back and his head up. The trembling eased.

Emmett plopped the steak onto a plate and grabbed a knife and fork.

"We'll let your muscles heal for 2 days now. No more weights until then. But we can still work on cardio in between," Emmett said as he laid the plate in front of Tommy.

The steak was barely singed, and it sat in a pool of blood. Tommy's face blanched from flushed to grayish-white.

"I don't think I can eat this," he mumbled.

"Sure you can! It will make you strong," Emmett insisted.

Tommy made no move for the fork. He just stared at the plate.

"Uncle Emmett, I think he needs the steak cooked more. You know, most people just don't find blood all that appetizing," Renesmee offered.

"That makes no sense. It's the blood that makes you strong."

"Well, perhaps we could just cook the blood a little more?" Tommy looked up hopefully.

"Ugh! That ruins it! It's most effective when it's still warm and beating!"

"Uncle Emmett!"

"Fine," Emmett grabbed the plate and slid the steak back into the broiler. He fidgeted as the aroma of charred meat filled the air and mumbled about how this was just ruining everything. But when he pulled it back out, it was only slightly pink in the middle. Tommy dug in.

Fifteen minutes later, bone and gristle lay on his plate. Alice bounced down the stairs.

"My turn," she sang.

She stood with a smock covering her clothes and a wild look in her eyes; her hair pointing in all directions. Tommy eyed her with trepidation. She swooshed him away from the table, shoved a pile of new clothes and towels in his hands and commanded him to take a shower. Renesmee sat helplessly as she watched her bored aunt and uncle treat him like a pet project. Had he appealed to her for help, she would have stepped in, but he seemed to accept his fate.

Renesmee looked through the glass wall and saw her parents approaching. She also caught sight of a russet tail disappearing into the woods. She tossed her copy of _Hamlet_ aside. Was Jacob avoiding her?

"Sunita and her father are here," Edward announced just as Renesmee heard a car turn into the driveway.

Edward turned the hot water on in the kitchen sink and shoved his hands into the stream. Steam curled up around his head, and Renesmee shot him a questioning look.

"Her father will want to shake hands," he explained as he continued to heat his skin to more human-like temperatures.

The doorbell rang, and her father grabbed a towel and dried his hands. Edward plastered on his most winning smile and pulled the door open. As expected, Sunita's father grabbed his hand in a firm welcome as they exchanged introductions.

"I did not expect you to be so young," her father said.

"Yes, well my sister was much older than me, and she married when I was quite young. But we live here with my adopted father, Dr. Carlisle Cullen," Edward explained.

"Ah, Dr. Cullen. He helped my wife with headaches. But he too is very young."

Renesmee wondered what he was thinking. Her father seemed calm so maybe it was just small talk.

"True he is, and a great man for taking me in when he was so young," Edward said with a great deal of affection and respect in his voice. Sunita's father smiled and relaxed, disarmed by the comment.

Bella didn't offer her hand, but she smiled warmly and welcomed Sunita in.

"Sunita," her father said, "your mother wants you home for dinner. Call us if you need a ride."

And with that, he left. Sunita skipped into the kitchen. Renesmee was surprised that she broke from her usual grace. She must be happy that Tommy was in the house. Renesmee realized her friend was absolutely giddy. She grabbed her hand.

"Hey, Sunita, let's go talk in my room. Tommy is working with my aunt on a project, but he'll be joining us soon."

As she led Sunita upstairs, Renesmee realized this was the first time she had invited a friend to her room. She felt so normal. Renesmee closed her door. She knew it wouldn't prevent the vampires from overhearing their conversation, but Sunita didn't know that.

"Okay, you look excited. What's going on?" Renesmee asked knowing she was excited about Tommy.

"My cousin's coming home! She'll be here next week."

Oh? That was unexpected.

"That's great news. What made her parents change their mind now?"

"I don't know all the details. My mother told me there was much I didn't know about the trouble my cousin was getting into. But they are bringing her home now, and I've missed her so much. I saw her when I visited India this summer, and leaving her was very hard. She cried to see us go."

"I'm so happy for you. It sounds like they had many reasons for sending her to India. Maybe that means that just disobeying once is okay, Sunita. Maybe that means you can tell your parents about Boyd."

"Maybe, Renesmee, but I don't want to tell them yet."

"Okay. Want to play some music?" Renesmee asked.

Sunita's mouth dropped open as she noticed Renesmee's music collection for the first time. Of course, most of it was her father's, but that was good as belonging to Renesmee. Sunita trailed a finger over the thousands of cd's.

"Oh! You have music from India. These are mostly movie soundtracks!"

Sunita chose a cd.

"I loved this movie"

Renesmee took the cd and popped it into the stereo. A clear, high pitched woman's voice wavered through the speakers. Sunita laughed and began telling the story behind the song. Renesmee understood Hindi, which was the language the woman was singing in, but she didn't exactly know how to tell this to Sunita. So she laughed and listened as Sunita recounted the story. After the cd ended, Sunita chose another soundtrack. As the third one started, Renesmee heard Alice below the threshold of the hearing of the humans in the house,

"Renesmee, take Sunita to the living room. I want Tommy to make a grand entrance down the staircase."

Renesmee paused the cd.

"Sunita, do you want to go downstairs and grab something to drink?"

"Sure."

Renesmee poured them both glasses of juice, hers being only a prop, and situated Sunita so that she was facing the staircase. Moments later, Tommy appeared. Wow!

He was still the same skinny boy, but Alice chose clothes that really flattered his build. He sort of had a geeky/sexy thing happening. Alice had cut some subtle layers in his hair and it lay perfectly. Alice really knew her stuff.

"Hi, Tommy," Sunita said enthusiastically. Renesmee wanted to tell him he looked great, but that would ruin the effect. She wanted Tommy to own this moment as though it had always been his.

"Hey, Tommy. Come sit with us," she said instead, "I'll get you some juice."

When Renesmee came back from the kitchen, Tommy and Sunita were sitting next to each other on the couch deep in conversation. Renesmee chose a chair facing them. Tommy was catching her up on chess club gossip. Tommy even smelled good. Alice left no detail to chance. Sunita told Tommy about her summer in India and the news about her cousin returning.

"That's great! I remember how sad you were when she left."

"Maybe you will get to meet her," Sunita said.

"That would be fun. Wow. My summer seems so boring compared to yours. We spent a couple of weeks at the ocean."

The conversation moved on to last year's English class and the weird teacher they shared.

"I know. He came in with two different shoes and when someone pointed it out, he said, 'I have a pair just like it at home,' as serious as could be," Tommy said.

Sunita laughed.

Soon, Renesmee was feeling left out. They didn't mean to do that to her, she knew, but Renesmee began to feel like an intruder in a private moment. She wanted them to talk, and it made her happy. It just made her feel lonely. It was so easy for them. Her thoughts trailed to Jacob, but she stopped them. She thought about Mike instead, well, Mr. Newton, but in her mind she had begun calling him Mike.

He wasn't that much older than her. Maybe she could make up a story like in _Never Been Kissed_; she could tell him that she was really a 25-year-old reporter doing an article on high school life. He would be upset at first because of the the deception, but he'd come around and declare his love on a Ferris wheel! Okay, maybe that was a bit too corny, but there were ways.

What was up with Jacob? She'd hardly seen him at all outside of school. He said he'd been spending time at La Push with Billy, but he could invite her along if he wanted to. And he was still reading _Hamlet_. She saw it in his car with a dictionary. She was starting to hate the sight of that book. She didn't know why, but she was sure it represented some kind of change, and it would be one she didn't like.

The afternoon passed and Renesmee added very little to the conversation. It was Tommy and Sunita's day. She didn't mind, exactly, but was beginning to feel lonely. Sunita's father picked her up, and Tommy left with Emmet's insistence that he return the next day for a cardo work out.

The door closed on Tommy and Alice squealed.

"I have just the dress for Sunita already picked out," she bounced and clapped.

"What dress?" asked Renesmee.

"For the Homecoming dance. Tommy and Sunita are going."

"Alice, don't you think Sunita's mother should be the one helping her to pick out the dress?" asked Bella.

"Wait! What are you talking about? Sunita said her parents don't let her date," objected Renesmee.

"Sunita's mother will agree with me on the dress, Bella, and even think she picked it out. And of course her parents will let her go to the dance. Sunita really doesn't understand her parents," Alice explained and ran upstairs to start on her plans.

"Wow. The dance," Renesemee said a bit sadly. She wouldn't be going to the dance.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty:**

**Felonies and Dances**

**By:**

**Interest Me**

***All original plot and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. The rest is mine.**

The next two weeks passed with no appearances from Boyd. Tommy and Sunita only grew closer, but Tommy had still not asked Sunita to the Homecoming dance. Renesmee knew better than to second guess Alice, so she knew it was coming. Renesmee even tried her hand at cooking some curry. Jacob was the only one who attempted to eat it, but he left soon after dinner. He never stayed late anymore, and Renesmee felt even lonelier.

Two Fridays after Sunita and Tommy had spent the afternoon at Renesmee's, Renesmee approached her locker to find Boyd leaning against it arguing with Sunita. His broken pinky was still bandanged.

"I know you put it in my car. You probably got that family of yours to do it."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Boyd. Leave me alone."

"Maybe I can get them deported."

"Go away."

"I sat in jail for over two weeks because nobody would bail me out. I didn't steal the equipment. Someone framed me!"

"It wasn't me. Maybe you should go talk to you friends."

"I could be put in detention for the next two years. If you did it, I'm going to find out."

Anger flashed through Renesmee. Where was Tommy? Alice must have carried out her plan to plant stolen property in Boyd's car. What could she break? Carlisle's face flashed before her eye; not her grandpa, but the vampire with dark eyes that had stalked her in his office. She can't break any of Boyd's bones. Alice had said to use her gifts. She remembered the picture she had drawn of the vampire-eating monster. She added some color to the victims' faces and some blood to make them look more human. She concentrated on every detail and brought it to life. Blood curdling screams filled her head, and she imagined humans running.

"Excuse me," she said to Boyd and tapped his neck. She projected the images into his brain. Boyd jumped away and banged his head on the stairwell.

"Fuck!" he screamed.

Renesmee ran over to help him.

"Boyd, what happened? Are you okay?" she laid a hand over the bump on his head and projected more of the scene. Boyd screamed. Like a little girl.

"Don't touch me!" he cried and ran away.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked Sunita.

"Who knows? Maybe he's on drugs," she answered.

"Weird. Where's Tommy?"

"He had a dentist appointment. He'll be in by third period," Sunita answered and smiled.

"What was Boyd so mad about?"

The smile left Sunita's face.

"They found stolen surveillance equipment in his car. He's trying to say he didn't steal it. He is accusing me of putting it there."

"You would never do anything like that," Renesmee said.

"If I had thought of it, I would have," Sunita said and looked at Renesmee with unapologetic eyes. Yeah, humans could be almost as scary as vampires sometimes.

"Sunita, I'll meet you in class," Renesmee said and pulled out her phone. She was a bit worried that Carlisle would be mad at her over Boyd's bump on the head. She hadn't meant for him to hit his head! She just wanted to scare him so he'd leave Sunita alone. She touched Alice's name and texted:

**Renesmee:** So you went ahead and framed Boyd after all.

**Alice:** I saved his life.

**Renesmee:** How?

**Alice:** He was going to steal a car.

**Renesmee:** Was he going to wreck it?

**Alice:** No. He planned on stealing Rosalie's Ferrari from you!

**Renesmee:** Ohhhhh! Yeah. Better the cops get him than Aunt Rose! Will Grandpa be mad?

**Alice:** I don't think so. He helped me.

Renesmee laughed at this. She imagined the scene. The highly respected doctor and the little pixie slinking through the night filling Boyd's permanently disabled car with stolen property. She imagined that Alice would have wanted the items placed just so, as though she were decorating a ballroom rather than framing a teenage boy for felony theft. 'No, Carlisle, move the camera a little to the left.'

**Alice:** Carlisle called Charlie and reported the stolen items in Boyd's car.

**Renesmee:** Boyd showed up at school and accused Sunita of framing him.

**Alice:** That's okay. He won't get to her. He has enough problems. And she won't be worrying about it either, because Tommy will ask her to the dance today, and I found the perfect shoes for her dress! Squee!

Renesmee rolled her eyes and dropped her phone back into her purse. She made it to class just seconds before the final bell but still two minutes before Mr. Newton.

Renesmee kept her eyes open for Boyd, but she didn't see him anymore. At lunch she spotted Jacob in the cafeteria and approached him.

"Hey, Jake! Are you coming over tonight?"

It grieved her that she had to ask him. Just a few months ago it wouldn't even have been a question.

"I can stop by for a little while, but I can't stay long. Things to do," he said.

Of course.

"Jakie, what are these 'things' you are always doing? I hardly ever see you anymore," she whined.

Jacob got a concerned look in his eye. Renesmee knew it was unfair to whine. Jacob's genes motivated him to comfort her at all costs. Time to grow up!

"That's okay, Jake," she continued, "I know you can't just jump when I call."

Jacob's face fell a bit.

"It's not that, Nessie. You know if you need me, I'll be there. I'm just working on some personal stuff and trying to give you your space too. If you really want me at your house tonight, you know I'll be there."

She did. She _really_ wanted him at the house. Of course she did, because she was acting like a spoiled little girl.

"No, you should do what you have to do. Aunt Alice wants to do my hair and nails anyway, so you'll just be bored."

"Tell you what, Nessie; we'll go bowling this weekend. Okay? Maybe we'll stop for some curry too! Is Saturday around 6:00 good for you? Do you have plans with your friends?"

Renesmee looked over at her table and saw Sunita and Tommy glowing at each other. She didn't need to have her father's mind reading skills to know that Tommy had asked Sunita to the dance.

"It doesn't look like I have plans," she said.

"Then it's a date," Jacob answered.

Something about calling it a date made Renesmee feel bad, but she covered her emotions so as not to concern Jacob.

"It's a date."

Renesmee approached her table and Sunita pulled out a lunch container for her.

"My mother made coconut chicken curry last night," she said, "It's one of my favorites. I hope you like it."

Renesmee didn't like the smell of the coconut, but she didn't have the heart to refuse the offering. It wasn't as bad as some human food, but it didn't smell nearly as good as some of the curries she had tasted.

"That's great," she said, "Thanks! And tell your mom thanks too. She doesn't have to send food for me every day. I'm feeling kind of guilty."

"Don't be silly. My mother is delighted. She really does love feeding people."

"So I heard you taught the class again. Should I start calling you Miss Cullen?" Tommy asked and Sunita giggled.

"It's just Mr. Newton's unique way of teaching us," Renesmee said.

"Huh? He doesn't teach us. You do," Tommy argued.

"He is the worst teacher ever. I hope this is not his career choice," Sunita said.

Renesmee was feeling a bit hurt. They couldn't know that she had feelings for him, but still, their criticism felt unfair.

"Don't you think it's just technique though? I mean, like he wants us to teach ourselves so we learn better," Renesmee said.

Tommy laughed.

"No, I think it's just Mr. Newton not wanting to do his job."

Renesmee ate her lunch in silence. Not that anyone noticed. Sunita and Tommy were absorbed in each other. Mark read a fat book. Monica and Sebastian talked chess. And the curry was not her favorite and it didn't go down well. She glanced at Jacob and he caught her eye and smiled. She gave a soft wave but hid her sadness. Living between two worlds could really get lonely.


End file.
